fedplanner
Active Member
I don't hate Wong-Tam, I just prefer ex Councilor Kyle Rae.
Toronto Massey Tower Condos | 206.95m | 60s | MOD Developments | Hariri Pontarini
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
dt_toronto_geek:
The funny thing is this is one project that KWT can probably back without too much risk (given the heritage benefits, MH and the area around the tower isn't exactly teeming with residents).
AoD
The funny thing is this is one project that KWT can probably back without too much risk (given the heritage benefits, MH and the area around the tower isn't exactly teeming with residents).
AoD
I wonder if one can read anything into the fact that Planning Department have another bylaw amendment ready to go in regards to approving the heritage structure revisions and the land transfer to Massey Hall should Council ignore the advice of the refusal report. Are they merely prepared for all eventualities, or are they indicating they expect the refusal report to be rebuffed? It may very well be the former, but I want to believe it's the latter. It's a left-brain right-brain thing. Go right brain!
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dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Certainly the BIA would support this project for all the obvious reasons and presumably the Garden District Residents Association given it has minimal impact on any neighbours, shadows or traffic.
DtTO
Active Member
The fact that you brought up her name, when many of us "KWT critics" haven't, shows your irrational provocation and plea for sympathy. Are you expecting someone to start bashing her so you can cry bloody murder? I hate to break it to you, but KWT is not the centre of the universe. Her name is usually only mentioned when there's valid criticism. Then again, your previous posts clearly show your opposition of anyone criticizing KWT, even after she narrow mindedly questioned the development of a parking lot in Yorkville.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
When I feel the need to defend her against inflammatory posts and inaccurate information, I'll be the first one there. The fact that you flagged my post on KWT here says something too!
She's my Councillor. She's smart, has guts, works really, really hard, I think she's terrific and I'm on board with most of her policies and practices - most, so I stand behind her.
Not true. Her name is tossed around by her "critics" often when no criticism on her part is due (see Yorkville parking garage). If I feel she's being wrongly being attacked, yes, I stand to support her.
She was only one in a chorus of voices who were "alarmed" at the Yorkville area losing 1,000 public parking spaces (15%) for several years, should she not have been?
Perhaps a KWT or Ward 27 thread would be a good place to discuss her further, she does after all have one of the most populous Wards in the city, the fastest growing Ward with the most development pressure and the probably the most economically diverse Ward in the city. It could make for some interesting discussion and debate.
fedplanner
Active Member
Good post dt_toronto_geek! I'm curious, do you attend the public meetings for development proposals in your ward, and do you speak up for things that you support like you did here? It's an awful shame if you're not. If you believe Massey Tower represents good development, maybe you can write a quick email to KWT to show your support.
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SP!RE
°°°°°°
You do realize that the vast majority of projects built were approved by the city and didn't go to the OMB right?
I don't understand the fear of NIMBY's around here. We live in a city with more development than just about anywhere else in the western world. NIMBY's are not putting a dent on our development (for better or worse).
fedplanner
Active Member
If the OMB did not exist, do you believe the city would still approve the vast majority of developments. Toronto would be a very different city IMHO, and not for the better.
hihihi
Active Member
okay.... wtf is going on? Can someone explain in English what this all means? And save the bias please - just facts in layman's terms.
fedplanner
Active Member
Interesting theory. The other refusal report for the Avenue road building did not include bylaws to amend the zoning should city council decide so.
Irishmonk
Senior Member
Looks like another case of Torontoitis: a mysterious condition wherein the opposite of what should happen, happens. (See: Rob Ford, Phil Kessel, the Shepherd subway...)
innsertnamehere
Superstar
they aren't because of the OMB. If the OMB were to disappear, the city could start shooting down projects left right and centre. there would be nowhere for the developers to go to appeal.. Right now the city works with the developers to ensure they get the best project possible, because they know that if they just shoot it down, you end up with an OMB hearing where the developer gets his way and you end up with a crappy building. If the developer has no-one to fall back to, the city has absolute power and can send out absurd demands (you MUST build under 10 floors on a site you paid 15 million dollars for, that you are proposing a 45 story building surrounded by an area already full of 35 floor buildings). Power corrupts, and would allow the City councillers to collapse to NIMBY pressure and cancel everything that isn't 4 floors tall built on a parking lot full of 3 bedrooms and habitat for humanity houses, with half the site being a park, with maybe 2 or 3 condo units thrown in to let you earn some money. what do you mean you can't do that?!? sorry, you can't build anything here than.
The current balance of power allows for the city to work with the developer to create a strong development, but ensures that they don't demand so much that the developer just appeals to the OMB and builds a crappy building. through this function, the OMB helps the planning process as "concerned local residence groups" (NIMBY's) that show up to the working sessions and scream bloody murder to a project no matter how good (or bad) it is can't pressure the local councillor to play hardball with the developer, thus making the project unprofitable for the developer with the NIMBY's demands and thus cancellation.
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Well, there's no heritage concerns at the Avenue Road building though… It would be tough to find an analogue to The Massey Tower at the moment.
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gristle
Senior Member
I am curious about your conclusion. How did you arrive at it? Why would the city not be for the better if the city had control over its planning and operated it's own dispute settlement body?