Part of the issue for many Burlingtonians is that you look east to Humber Shores and say UGH. There must be a better way. Part of the issue is transport and transit through the downtown core, which developers love to rave about, but in real life, given the increasing traffic volumes, is much less then satisfactory. And although we may sigh, and although the restricted traffic problems will only worsen, I am not sure the cities request for a parking allowance of 1.25 was unrealistic (in this town).
On this, it is Burlington as a munciaplity that is responsible provide high quality transit, both east-west and north-south and connecting to GO and to Hamilton and Oakville, with a high level of frequency that helps shift modal share.
Developers can be asked to contribute to that but the City has to fund the operating dollars; and/or get Halton Region to do so by uploading transit.
Part of the issue is that the previous admin was perceived to simply roll over to developers whims. Part of the issue is that the 2020 official plan allows for much in the way of redevelopment, but restricts building heights in this area relative to the previous plan. There is diversity in heights but heritage residential areas immediately surrounding the main access routes restrict the spread of higher density newer housing and influence building heights in the areas of the downtown urban plan closest to the lake. Having said that more then a few heritage buildings have been lost in the downtown urban planning area.
Again, the onus is on Council to make sure heritage properties are designated, and the listed features are comprehensive and include interior elements that reduce the liklihood of future demolition, and also to designate a Heritage Conservation District and lay out the key character elements that need to be preserved. Then developers can be realitistically asked to work witin that framework.
I think the area in question for this proposal was covered in the new plan as follows: OLD LAKESHORE ROAD PRECINCT The Old Lakeshore Road Precinct will provide for mixed-use mid-rise buildings consisting primarily of residential uses which are pedestrian-oriented and transit supportive while also achieving a high standard of design. Modest tall buildings which transition downward from the adjacent Lakeshore Precinct towards the waterfront may be accommodated where such development achieves strategic public and city building objectives, including the provision of public waterfront access and the creation of new uninterrupted view corridors to Lake Ontario, among others.
However, how you define a "Modest Tall Building' is a bit of a puzzle to me.
Lack of specificity will always open things to argument/debate.
I think the city and its residents have legitimate concerns about the development of the city as left in the developers hands. You only have access to the lake once and after the wall of towers goes up we'll see how that plays out longer term.
As I noted above, I think view corridors to the Lake and lakeside parkland are highly valuable and totally legitimate goals; but by and large, they require the City to buy up a good chunk of the land in question in order to achieve that.
Burlington could have easily afforded that 30 years ago (before the current density boom arrived inflating land values); and can still afford some of it; but it's being slow and arguably cheap in not pursuing purchases.
Frankly, Burlington could be quite mean and quite creative in blocking development via selective expropriation by leaving residual parcels that aren't viable for taller buildings. I'm not suggesting that's what it should do; but it's one path to accomplishing the goal of outright preventing tall if that's what you want to achieve.
It's not free.
That said, I don't oppose tall here, I do oppose some of the more overbearing bulk; insufficient waterfront parkland and view corridors.
But the failure to achieve same lies disproportionately with the local Council in my opinion.
