Thunder Bay developer urged to re-think subdivision pitch
Thunder Bay city councillors have sent a local developer back to the drawing board after hearing concerns from homeowners near a proposed subdivision.
The original plan was to re-zone a piece of land between Paquette Road and Scarlet Avenue to eventually become a 68-home subdivision.
The property owner’s planning consultant, Stefan Huzan, said rezoning the property, and then giving the subdivision details, makes sense.
But council didn't agree with that process, saying the developer should submit all of his plans at once.
Bill Addison lives nearby. He, along with many others, had concerns with the project.
"The classic developer ploy is to break up the process into little bits and get each piece passed one at a time,” he said.
“So, the big picture is never considered. Well, I never thought I would hear this tonight, because this is exactly what's happened."
Council rejected the re-zoning saying the developer needs to re-think how to pitch the subdivision as desirable for the entire neighbourhood.
Other issues dealt with at council’s Monday night meeting:
- Council approved the rezoning of property owned by Silvio DiGregorio on Oliver Road. The land is now for residential use. Part of the area was previously zoned as industrial.
- Council also approved new response time targets for Superior North EMS.
- Council approved a refund of over $12,000 in property taxes due to demolitions and property changes, while also agreeing to transfer eight surplus properties to adjacent land owners. The majority of the surplus properties were lane ways.