Under the threat of a class action lawsuit by angry Bradford West Gwillimbury residents, the town’s Committee of the Whole voted down a townhouse development.
“If this does go ahead, we will have no choice but to approach Lormel (the developer who built our houses) with a class action lawsuit from each and every neighbour in the subdivision that we can get to agree with it for the decrease in value of our properties,” local resident Stephen Foster told council during a meeting earlier this week.
“And I’m fairly certain that if we do this, Lormel is probably not going to have another choice but to come after the people who allowed it to happen.”
Caprinox Developments submitted a subdivision draft plan for 2676 8th Line, just east of Noble Drive, for 20 townhouses, requesting a change from low to medium density.
Foster said several residents were promised that property would only ever be low density.
The application angered residents, who have concerns about increased parking and lack of privacy, as the elevated townhouses would have allowed some residents to look into the properties of the existing detached homes.
“If I knew this was happening, I wouldn’t have moved to Bradford,” said resident George Houshan, whose property would butt up against the Caprinox subdivision, at the council meeting.
“I don’t think the density should be changed. They just want to make a couple bucks. I feel like I just got ripped off from the Town of Bradford if this goes on.”
Residents’ concerns also sparked a debate at a council meeting Jan. 8 about how hardlined the town should be about keeping low density areas zoned as they are now.
While councillors pointed out the developer has changed little about the proposal — only reducing it by two homes — town staff recommended approving the subdivision plan because, technically, it met all the requirements except two on-street parking spaces.
Street townhouses are also allowed in low density plans, according to Ryan Windle, the town’s manager of community planning.
At this week’s meeting of Committee of the Whole, which is made up of council members, Coun. Gary Baynes was the only councillor to vote in favour of the subdivision proposal.
“I find it really inconsistent if we turn this one down,” he said, arguing there are townhouses in other parts of BWG, such as off Barrie Street, that were approved and are more out of place than these ones.
However, Baynes was outnumbered, with several other councillors calling for Caprinox’s plans to be reconsidered.
“I don’t like this proposal. If I was a resident there, I would jump on board and go after (and) sue who I could,” said Coun. Peter Dykie Jr.
“There’s a lot of infill projects we really gotta start looking at specifically because, as you guys know, a few infills that have happened over the years, we get a lot of flack about them after the fact because they do not fit the neighbourhood, they’re a big eyesore and all the neighbours hate it,” said Coun. Peter Ferragine.
“We’ve got to be smart about it. We’re trying to build communities here. We’re not trying to make a town that’s just full out houses.”
Town of BWG council is expected to make a final vote on the subdivision proposal at its next meeting Feb. 5.
