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Membership includes: • A wide range of group discounts • Informative talks • Community events Stand Together, Stand for Change For more information e-mail: carphaltonchapter@gmail.com Or visit: www.haltonseniorsadvocacygroup.ca Local residents are calling on Oakville council to reject a development plan that would see 11 buildings, including a 28-sto- rey structure, constructed within Kerr Vil- lage. The site in question is 4.8 hectares in size, located at the northwest corner of Kerr Street and Speers Road, and is cur- rently occupied by commercial plazas. The developers, which include April In- vestments Ltd., Oakville Developments (2010) Inc., Trans County Development Corporation Ltd., and 5270779 Ontario Ltd., are asking for an official plan amend- ment to permit the construction of 11 new buildings ranging in height from eight to 28 storeys. These buildings would house approxi- mately 1,847 residential units and 7,900 square metres of ground floor retail space, including a grocery store. A one-acre park and underground park- ing have also been proposed. The tallest buildings, including a 28-sto- rey building, a 26-storey building and a 24- storey building, would front onto Kerr street with the building heights transition- ing downwards to eight storeys toward the southern edge of the site. Urban Strategies Inc., which wrote a planning justification report on the devel- opers' behalf, noted the proposal would transform an underutilized commercial plaza within a growth area into a mixed use, complete community with transit supportive intensification. Urban Strategies said the proposal rep- resents good planning, exhibits design ex- cellence and represents a desirable and ap- propriate density for Kerr Village. Several residents do not agree. In a delegation before Oakville's Plan- ning and Development Council on Tues- day, Feb. 15, West River Residents' Associa- tion vice president Nicole Leblanc ex- pressed her group's concerns about the building heights and density being re- quested. She noted that under the town's official plan, even with bonusing taken into con- sideration, the maximum height permit- ted on these properties would be 16 storeys. Leblanc also voiced concerns about the increase in traffic she fears such a large de- velopment would bring and the impact of this traffic on nearby neighbourhoods. "Traffic in general is an extreme con- cern. That intersection (Kerr Street and Speers Road) absolutely is horrific," she said. In a letter to the town, area resident Rahmat Ushaksaraei said the proposal should not even be considered. He worried about the height and densi- ty of the development leading to "a traffic nightmare and chaos." Area resident Andrew Muscat also weighed in. "While I do support a redevelopment of the area, I do not believe the current iter- ation of the application is appropriate," he wrote council. "The proposal suggests buildings that exceed 21 storeys and these do not conform to the existing highrise residential neigh- bourhood." The properties discussed in this propos- al include 530, 550, 580 Kerr St., and 131, 171 Speers Rd.; however, it should be noted the property owner of 171 Speers Rd. has not asked for an official plan amendment and is not participating in this matter. Oakville Ward 5 Coun. Jeff Knoll is the CEO of Film.ca, which occupies 171 Speers Rd. While Knoll did not speak during the council meeting to avoid any conflict of in- terest, he did discuss it in an email with in- sidehalton.com. Knoll noted he does not own the proper- ty but said he is frustrated that the proper- ty is identified on the conceptual plan as it is causing confusion and discomfort to customers and staff. "We have 10-year leases on our build- ings and the land, and we are going no- where notwithstanding these applica- tions," said Knoll. "While there is an obvious need to look at this Speers and Kerr node, it needs to be done in a fair and equitable way; fair to all the landowners and the businesses that have committed to the area and the overall community for the long term." The matter will return to council for further consideration at a later date. MULTIPLE HIGHRISES PROPOSED FOR KERR VILLAGE A rendering shows a proposed development that could take shape at Kerr Street and Speers Road. Urban Strategies Inc. image DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com NEWS