Toronto Living Shangri-La Toronto | 214.57m | 66s | Westbank | James Cheng

Automation Gallery said:
I dont know about that.The doom and gloom is not affecting all developers.
Click to expand...

It's not, but nobody is taking any gambles right now... there have been quite a few layoffs within the industry in the past couple of weeks. Also the negative media coverage has been over-reacting and sensationalizing the situation (especially drawing comparisons to the U.S. – when out banking and housing fundamentals are very different) – unfortunately that has had a significant impact on sales traffic. It's impacting everyone right now - there is a lot of caution within the industry - no one will be 'over-engineering' footings and elevator cores to gamble on future density allocations.
 
thank you for the City Insider perspective ... its very helpful to understand the 'real' situation from the municipalities standpoint ... thank you Mike !
 
Solaris said:
thank you for the City Insider perspective ... its very helpful to understand the 'real' situation from the municipalities standpoint ... thank you Mike !
Click to expand...

Actually the view point is from a private sector perspective on some of the problems in the City of Toronto's planning department.
 
oops .. I accidentally thought you may be with the City based on 3D's implied note on your knowledge of City staff :)

3Dementia said:
Are all the planning staff off sick...? Mike?
Click to expand...
 
7 November 2008 photo update

Peeked in the hole today and saw rocks and dirt. Pretty darn exciting, eh?

DSC00411-1.jpg


DSC00412-1.jpg
 
Mike in TO said:
I don't know the specifics of this particular OMB case, but the OMB does put tension in the system to "light a fire under the city" as you put it, to get the work done in a semi-reasonable amount of time. The province actually doubled the time-lines for municipal responses prior to appeals being allowed to the OMB in Bill 26 a few years ago. Despite that, too many applications aren't dealt with in a timely manner and are then appealed to the OMB when the applicant becomes frustrated and response deadlines have been exceeded... not the best way to build and plan a city, but that's the current reality of the situation.
Click to expand...

I don't think Bill 26 included extending timeframes for site plan applications. As it stands, the Planning Act stipulates 30 days for the municipality to approve the plan.

I agree this type of appeal is rather pointless. If there were no issues with the site plan application, they may prolong the process by appealing to the Board.
 
Last edited:
T-Squared said:
II agree this type of appeal is rather pointless. If there were no issues with the site plan application, they may prolong the process by appealing to the Board.
Click to expand...

This is not small change, were talking a 400 million buck investment and if thats what it takes to get answers then you got to do what you got to do.
 
Last edited:
urbandreamer said:
Peeked in the hole today and saw rocks and dirt. Pretty darn exciting, eh?

DSC00411-1.jpg
Click to expand...


It must be freaky to drive up an incline like that (especially hauling a tonne of rock in your 'trunk'): we do not get those kind of gradients on roads anywhere.

42
 
Wouldn't it be more practical for these sites to set up a giant conveyor and fire the dirt up to the trucks at ground level. They could probably dispense with the road altogether.
 
Automation Gallery said:
This is not small change, were talking a 400 million buck investment and if thats what it takes to get answers then you got to do what you got do.
Click to expand...

My comment was based on if the application was appealed due to Toronto's inability to approve the plan within the legislated timeframe, when all issues within the application are addressed.

If the reasons for the appeal are major issues, then yes, I agree it needs to be properly resolved.
 
To clarify, the reason for the OMB appeal was the lack of timely response from city on the site plan approval... the final site plan submitted by the developer contained no significant changes of any kind.

So the deadline on a minor little $400 million project was missed by city staff, triggering an appeal to light a fire under their....

guy_with_roman_candle_up_his_butt.jpg
 
urbandreamer said:
^It's no different than driving an open cab John Deere tractor towing a loaded hay bale wagon up a 45 degree bank barn hill: low gear, and practise.:) Much more difficult as an impatient 14 year old? Backing the empty wagon and tractor back down the hill!
Click to expand...

I know the technical aspect of it is easy. It's the mental part of it that scares me.
 
interchange42 said:
It must be freaky to drive up an incline like that (especially hauling a tonne of rock in your 'trunk'): we do not get those kind of gradients on roads anywhere.

42
Click to expand...

There's actually a grade like this, if not steeper on Concession 2 in Uxbridge where I cycle. The dump trucks go up and down the grade with ease. Infact, many of the dump truck drivers reek havoc on these side roads, driving like complete maniacs. I suspect one day I will end up entangled amongst a dump trucks tires - not voluntarily.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top