NOTL planning meeting derailed by angry resident

A planning meeting was derailed this week with several minutes of chaos by a resident who wanted a chance to speak against a planned development in the Glendale area.

Those opposed to the project had already had their chance during a public meeting about the project in November, staff and council members both explained to them.

The project is being proposed on the north side of York Road, east of Airport Road.

It is being pitched as a mixed-use building that would have a 10-storey residential area, and an eight-storey hotel section.

If approved, it would provide 216 residential units, 154 hotel rooms and 1,400 square metres of ground floor commercial space, as well as a trio of three-storey hotel buildings with a total of 30 hotel suites and 335.7 square metres of ground floor commercial space.

As council was about to move on from a delegation by Max Fedchyshak from NPG Planning Solutions about the proposal and related official plan and zoning bylaw amendment requests at Tuesday’s meeting, commotion ensued in the council chamber.

Chatter from the seats could be heard before chair Coun. Gary Burroughs said “the timing is not tonight” to someone in the crowd.

Planning director Kirsten McCauley then spoke to the residents and said they had had until Monday at noon to register as delegates if they had wanted to add to the comments they already provided on the record.

“The opportunity was at the public meeting,” she said, noting that individuals who spoke at the November public meeting also received an email from town staff on May 2 to notify them of the staff report coming to council, and that if they wished to address council they would need to resister by noon on Mon. May 6.

She also told them that feedback received in November was included in the report.

Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa, after leaving the council chambers and then returning to his seat, said it was time to get back to the business of the evening.

“We need to bring order back to the room,” said Zalepa. “I want to proceed with the agenda.”

Burroughs then told the crowd that anyone wishing to register to speak may have an opportunity to register ahead of the next regular council meeting later this month when the project will be on the agenda again.

This was followed by a woman screaming at the local government. “This is our lives!” she shouted loud enough to be heard clearly on the livestream without standing directly in front of a microphone.

“We’ve got a 10-storey building going in our backyard and you guys don’t seem to care,” she continued. “You guys want us to vote for you? Forget it,” yelled the unidentified woman.

Coun. Erwin Wiens did not like this treatment. “That’s not acceptable to get yelled at,” said Wiens, who added that the town “handed out the proper notification” about the process.

The staff report to approve the official plan and zoning bylaw amendments was approved by council, but with some amendments. They asked that a holding provision be put in place regarding a stormwater management plan, with a motion made by Coun. Sandra O’Connor.

Zalepa also asked that staff be directed to “negotiate” with the developer about the project including affordable housing units, describing it as “deep social housing.”

During his presentation, Fedchyshak also explained that the developer needs federal approvals, as well as ones from the town and the nearby Niagara District Airport to be exempted of a 140-metre height restriction.

The proposal asks for 10 storeys totalling 165 metres.

Later in the agenda, there was more tension when resident Harold Wattrus spoke in opposition to a planned 81-room hotel in the Old Town, which includes a restaurant, rooftop deck, underground parking, a spa, and other amenities.

He was not pleased with having a 10-minute limit on his presentation. He accused the town of having a “deliberate strategy to make it as difficult and inconvenient as possible” for residents who are opposed to developments. He said the hotel, proposed by developer Rainer Hummel at 228 Queen St. And 209 and 217 Simcoe St., would “destroy the character of this beautiful, serene town.”

Zalepa addressed the accusations made by Wattrus, saying that no wrongdoing had taken place and that there are rules to adhere to. “Every process that’s followed in these meetings is a policy of council,” he said, adding there have been “no changes” made to that process.

The comments made by the presenter were “completely out of order,” he noted.

Coun. Sandra O’Connor offered advice to those who were upset about their inability to speak Tuesday night, suggesting they call the clerk’s office to inquire about what is required of them to be registered in time as a speaker. “I know our procedures can be confusing to people who don’t ever have to deal with these things,” she said.

Wiens also again stuck up for staff, saying they are professionals who don’t deserve to have accusations hurled at them. “To attack their integrity is completely unacceptable,” he said.

Council approved official plan and zoning bylaw amendment requests that were recommended in staff’s report about the Queen Street hotel.

Kris Dube, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Niagara-on-the-Lake Local