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Ancaster's 'unique' community under attack: councillor

High density developments viewed as a threat to community heritage

Kevin Werner Mar 07, 2008 Ancaster News.com

Ancaster's way of life is under attack from Hamilton development, says councillor Lloyd Ferguson.

And if nothing is done to preserve its "unique" community, said the first-term councillor, the third oldest Ontario community will likely disappear.

"Ancaster is special," said Mr. Ferguson. "We need to preserve our heritage. We have a duty to preserve it."

The latest "threat" to Ancaster's lifestyle is a residential development council and staff approved last week to be constructed at 591 Garner Road West. Mr. Ferguson strongly opposed the plan.

The development, proposed by Monterey Heights Development Corp, received a number of planning exemptions that Mr. Ferguson stridently fought against.

For instance, the developers asked for and received an exemption to Hamilton's Official Plan to increase the density from 62 residential dwellings per hectare to 105 dwellings, an agreement that Mr. Ferguson said will "lead residents to revolt again."

The development involves constructing one 3.5-storey apartment building, and two 4.5-storey apartments, for a total of 153 residential units on the property. The buildings will exceed the former town's 3-storey height restrictions.

City planning staff stated the higher buildings were justified so that "residential intensification can be achieved with a smaller footprint."

Mr. Ferguson was also irritated that since the residential development is categorized as "adult-oriented" with one and two-bedroom units, city staff agreed to exempt the developers from constructing a play area for children.

An additional problem is the limited number of parking spaces for residents. So far there are about 293 parking spaces planned, but the development, according to planning staff, needs about 322 parking spots. The developer agreed to provide two parking spaces per unit, while reducing the number of visitor parking spots available. The developer had originally wanted 1.9 spaces from the 2.33 spaces required.

Mr. Ferguson said the limited number of parking areas, plus the fact there is no sidewalks along Garner Road West will mean parking will be at a premium in the surrounding neighbourhood.

"People will be parking in the church (next door to the development)," said Mr. Ferguson.

"We shouldn't be supporting this," he insisted.

The Monterey Heights residential plan is only the latest development that has Ancaster residents afraid their town is slowly being consumed.

Other developments that are expected to further change the surrounding environment and squeeze the community's available services, clog roads, and eat up parking spots are Mount Mary's 127-unit development, Wilson Street's 62-unit condominium project, the recently approved hotel and office complex near the Lincoln Alexander Parkway that also will exceed the town's height restrictions, and the 22-hectare, available land on Garner Road the Ontario Real Estate Corporation owns and is willing to sell to prospective developers.

Only last year members of Mr. Ferguson's advisory council urged Hamilton planning authorities to incorporate Ancaster's Official Plan into Hamilton's Official Plan in an attempt to protect Ancaster's small-town atmosphere. There has already been discussions between Ancaster residents and city planners about the issue.

City planners are slowly and carefully creating a new Hamilton Official Plan that incorporates all of the planning designations from the new suburban areas eight years after amalgamation occurred.

Mr. Ferguson said it is Ancaster's opportunity to integrate the former town's specialized characteristics into the city's official document and preserve the character of the community. If not, he said, Ancaster could become just another appendage to the ever-growing Meadowlands commercial and residential area and the sprawl that dominates the Mountain area.

Mr. Ferguson said it could take about a year for city planners to complete the city's new Official Plan, which gives the local community a deadline to get something into the Official Plan. If not, it will be a missed opportunity that will have reverberations throughout the community for decades to come, said Mr. Ferguson.

"Ancaster has its own Official Plan," he said. "It is the third oldest in Ontario behind Niagara-On-The-Lake and York. We need to preserve it. We are unique. We are special. We have to fight for it."