Height, density, traffic, parking, privacy and noise were among the issues raised.
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A proposed hotel and mixed-use development could bring four- and five-storey buildings to the edge of an established Amherstburg neighbourhood, raising questions whether the scale of the project fits the site.
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The proposed development at Simcoe Street and Meloche Road calls for a hotel with as many as 100 rooms, along with three mixed-use buildings containing residential units and commercial space.
At a public meeting this week, residents of Meadowview Estates, whose homes back onto the property, raised concerns about the scale of the proposal and its potential impact on the neighbourhood.
Height, density, traffic, parking, privacy and noise were among the issues raised during nearly two hours of discussion.
“I feel that I must address the betrayal we all feel as residents,” Cheryl Dunn Greer told council. “This is a drastic change and will forever change the flavour of this largely senior community. By no means does it respect the character of the existing neighbourhood.”
The proposed development was put forward by Great Lakes Properties, which is seeking the zoning changes needed to move ahead with the project on the northwest corner of the intersection.
James Lesperance told council the density of the proposal is his biggest concern.
“This site plan, I oppose increasing the density of it. That’s my biggest thing is increasing the density. Keep it low density commercial,” said Lesperance.
Council members also sought clarification from the developer about the proposed hotel, including whether an operator has been secured or not.
Co-developer Jason Laframboise said the company intends to find a hotel operator, but added the zoning process needs to happen first.
“If we don’t have a zone for that, we can’t pursue a hotel owner,” said Laframboise. “If we have to go through all of this process to get the property developed, we would lose that buyer to build a hotel.
