A rendering of the $400 million condominium project slated for the North Service Road in Grimsby.
Kirkor Architects handout
Ryan Ferrari, a professional planner with A.J. Clarke and Associates, speaks at Grimsby’s planning and development committee about the proposed $400 million condominium development on the North Service Road by LJM Group.
Parking and a several other issues raised at Grimsby’s planning and development committee about proposed $400 million condominium development at 540-544 North Service Road
Concerns about parking and several other issues have been raised about the proposed $400-million condominium development at 540-544 North Service Road near Casablanca Boulevard in Grimsby.
“I don’t know where these people are going to park their cars,” said Shaimaa Zayed following the March 27 mandatory public meeting at the town’s planning development committee about the two-tower condo proposal by the LJM Group.
The purpose of the meeting was to enable the public and committee members to get information about the project and ask questions.
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Zayed, who lives in a townhouse complex behind the development site, said the 606 planned underground spaces for 548 residential units is not enough, and some residents in a condo complex next door said they’re concerned about tenants and visitors from the new development possibly using some of their limited parking.
The town’s bylaw requires 1.25 parking spaces and 0.25 visitor parking spaces per unit and the developer is proposing to reduce that to 1.10 spaces per unit, visitor parking included.
Ryan Ferrari, a professional planner with A.J. Clarke and Associates, speaks at Grimsby’s planning and development committee about the proposed $400 million condominium development on the North Service Road by LJM Group.
Mark Newman Metroland
A parking study by Paradigm Transportation Solutions of Cambridge notes Institute of Transportation Engineers data and other local parking information indicates a demand rate of 0.98 parking spaces per unit leaving a surplus of 69 spaces.
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“We’re using a study by a recognized traffic expert whose done many of these studies throughout the area and he is of the opinion that the parking ratio that is required will meet the requirements of the building,” said Franz Kloibhofer, a principal with A.J. Clarke and Associates, the agent for the LJM Group. “I think what we’re starting to see is changes in terms of how people utilize cars and how they recognize the times of the past where we were a car-dependent society and a car-desiring society is changing and I think that’s changing with the generations.”
The project includes a 22- and 16-storey condominium tower.
In addition to parking approval, the project requires a zoning and official plan amendment from the town as Grimsby’s current official plan permission for the site is six storeys.
Some residents from the LJM Group condo development next door at 560 North Service Rd. told the committee they’ve had issues with the developer over the quality of their dwellings.
“The number of shortcuts they took is staggering,” said Tamila Mitchell. “The amount of deficiencies we have to deal with is outrageous.”
Mitchell would not elaborate any further when asked by Niagara This Week.
LJM Group president Liaquat Mian who was at the meeting said previously there had been some plumbing issues in one of their neighbouring buildings a couple of years ago but that has been fixed.
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“There is no issue,” Mian said.
The proposed development does not include any commercial space and committee member and Ward 1 Coun. Reg Freake asked if LJM Group would consider adding a daycare centre to the site.
Mian said the group is currently in negotiations with a daycare provider to set up a centre in some vacant commercial space at the nearby LJM Waterview Condominiums complex.
Grimsby planning officials are reviewing the public input and development application and will be making a report and recommendation to council in the coming weeks.
The issue is tentatively slated to come back to the committee for a decision May 27 and then moves on to town council for a final decision June 3.
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