Lol. The planning department is really not going to let their height limit die without a fight.
Looks to me like the planning department is trying to get approval from the Planning Committee and subsequently Council to appeal the above-escarpment height approval at the Committee of Adjustment.
From the
agenda of October 19th's Planning Committee:
Quote:
RECOMMENDATION
That Council gives approval to the following actions, as detailed in Report PED21198, respecting Committee of Adjustment Minor Variance Application (HM/A-21:221) by UrbanSolutions Planning and Land Development Consultants Inc. c/o Matt Johnston, on behalf of Fengate Hamilton Land GP Inc. (Owner), for the lands located at 44 Hughson
Street South, Hamilton, as shown on Appendix “A” attached to Report PED21198, granted by the Committee of Adjustment but recommended for denial by the Planning and Economic Development Department:
(a) That Council of the City of Hamilton proceed with the appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) against the decision of the Committee of Adjustment to approve Minor Variance application HM/A-21:221;
(b) That Council directs appropriate Legal Services and Planning staff to attend the future Ontario Land Tribunal hearing in opposition to the decision of the Committee of Adjustment to approve Minor Variance application HM/A-21:221
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Quote:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The applicant submitted Minor Variance Application HM/A-21:221 to permit the construction of a 34 storey (108.0 metre) mixed use building containing 635 units and 1290.0 square metres of commercial space.
Minor Variance application HM/A-21:221 was considered by the Committee of Adjustment on August 12, 2021. Planning staff recommended the variance to permit a building height maximum of 111.0 metres, later revised to permit a maximum building height of 108.0 metres, be denied, as the proposal did not meet the four tests of a Minor
Variance under Section 45(1) of the Planning Act (see Appendix “B” attached to Report PED21198). The Committee of Adjustment granted the application (see Appendices “C” and “E” attached to Report PED21198).
Under the Planning Act, appeals must be filed within 20 days of the decision. As such, Planning staff submitted an appeal letter, and the required fee to the SecretaryTreasurer of the Committee of Adjustment to initiate the appeal process on September 1, 2021, subject to Council’s approval/ratification. Staff recommend proceeding with the
appeal. A hearing date has been not yet been set.
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I am unsure of how this request will go over at the Planning Committee, but given that Councillor Farr defended the increase, and given that the Mayor appeared at LiUNA's ceremonial groundbreaking, I'm inclined to think the planning department might not get the result they want.