Residents concerned Mahogany will become ‘moveable feast’
Smaller lots, 14 new units proposed in Manotick
Manotick News, Nov 27, 2014
By Emma Jackson
Skeptical residents questioned the motives behind Minto’s proposal to change lot sizes and add 14 new units to a section of its Mahogany development south of Manotick during a public meeting on Nov. 25.
The developer is in the process of building Phase 1 of a five-phase 1,400-unit subdivision between Manotick Main Street and Century Road, but sales have been much slower than expected.
The company is only selling about 1.4 homes per month on average, instead of the projected six they’d hoped for.
That has prompted Minto to bring some of its smaller, more affordable designs planned for later phases into Phase 1B to respond to market demand, according to Susan Murphy, Minto’s vice president of development, who led the meeting.
Right now, Phase 1B – a 197-unit unregistered section at the southeast corner of the project – calls for 52 lots with 35-foot frontages and 145 lots with 60-foot frontages.
The proposed amendment would alter a number of those to 38-foot and 47-foot lots, creating space for 14 more units.
The new plan, if approved, would ultimately offer 49 small lots of 35 and 38 feet and 162 large lots of 47 and 60 feet – a total of 211 units.
The proposal doesn’t change the overall density of the development, which the Ontario Municipal Board set at 1,400 units with at least 75 per cent of lots being 45 feet or larger when it approved the project in 2009.
But some residents were skeptical that these changes aren’t just the beginning of a stream of amendments designed to allow Minto to ask for more units and, ultimately, higher density at the OMB.
“Here we are with Phase 1, and already it’s changing lot sizes and adding 14 units,” said resident Michael Clancy, whose property on Manotick Main Street is completely surrounded by the Mahogany project. “It seems to be a moveable feast. You have to appreciate our skepticism moving forward.”
Murphy stressed that Minto is not trying to dupe the community into building with higher density; the units added into Phase 1 will be made up for in subsequent phases in order to stay under the required 1,400 limit, she said.
As for the smaller lot sizes, they will come with larger side yard setbacks in an effort to maintain a more rural feel, she said.
Questions about the impact the extra 14 units would have on services, transit and infrastructure were largely dismissed by both Murphy and Rideau-Goulbourn Coun. Scott Moffatt; studies were generally carried out for the development as a whole, and since the number of overall units isn’t changing Murphy said those community services won’t be affected.
But Mahogany’s land development manager Erin O’Connor did say Minto is considering moving up the development of a planned English public school, given overcrowding at Manotick Public School and increasing pressure from the public school board. The school is currently planned for Phase 2.
While the city’s decision on whether to approve Minto’s plan of subdivision amendment is not yet decided, Minto is already marketing the units through brochures and presentations.
The subdivision amendment decision can be made by city staff without the approval of council. Once it is approved, a zoning amendment would go to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee, likely in February or March of next year. If approved, it would then go to council for final approval.
Comments on the proposed changes can be sent to city planner
[email protected] or
[email protected] by mid-December.
http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/n...veable-feast-/
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