No cookie cutter homes wanted in proposed sub-division

The last thing Yvette Coutu wants to see is more of the same.

Coutu, who lives on Queensway Road, was at Wednesday night’s planning advisory committee meeting, a little concerned about a proposed 38-home subdivision in her neighbourhood.

The subdivision would be build at the end of Kingsway Avenue. Veronica Drive would also be extended as part of the plan.

A developer has requested a zoning change to allow homes on lots with as little frontage as 45 feet.

Look-alike houses
What concerns Coutu is that too many look-alike houses would be built as part of the development.

“What that does is depreciate the rest of the homes. We’ve got very nice homes in that area, we’re very quiet and if the same design goes in, we’ve got a problem," Coutu said, “because they’re all over the city like that, and I don’t want to see that happen in our neighbourhood.”

Planning consultant Rick Miller, who was at the meeting on behalf of the developer, 1381408 Ontario Inc., said his client wasn’t a builder and would be selling lots to different builders, minimizing the chance of cookie cutter homes.

“I’m hoping his word will be the truth,” Coutu said.

Gained public attention
The area in question has not seen any major development in about 40 years, and gained public attention because it was the scene of the Sara Whitehead murder.

“The area has never lived that down,” said resident William Houston, who also attended the meeting.

He said he favours the subdivision because it will clear the woods and make the area safer from crime.

“Last summer we had a rash of break-ins in the general neighbourhood and we’ve always had a bit of a security issue because of that open wooded area behind our houses,” Houston said.

No bait and switch
As well, Houston said, the new subdivision provides the opportunities for some homeowners on Queensway to sell part of their back lots to the developer.

What he doesn’t want to see, though, is a “bait and switch, where this is being sold to us and then the zoning is changed.”

City staff will now prepare a report on the zoning change request, and the matter should return to the committee by the end of the month.