T. M. R. kills plan for its tallest condo
Town of Mount Royal council has cancelled plans to allow construction of the tallest residential building in the suburb’s history after strong opposition from residents.
Mayor Philippe Roy an-nounced at the start of a council meeting on Monday evening that council members had decided to withdraw an item from the agenda calling for final approval of a rezoning bylaw.
“The debate is closed,” Roy said in an interview on Tuesday.
“We won’t propose to raise the heights again.”
The bylaw would have increased the height restriction between Lucerne Rd. and Plymouth Ave., south of Métropolitain Blvd., to 32.5 metres and 10 storeys, from the current 28 metres and seven storeys.
The rezoning to 10 storeys — or 8+ 1+ 1, as the town called it because the top floors would have been set back — was being done for developer Kevlar Inc., which is building the third phase of a condo project called Sax.
A petition by residents had already gathered enough signatures to force a register on the proposed rezoning. The town received a second petition and emails contesting the height change last week, Roy said.
The Mount Royal Municipal Association also came out publicly last week against extending the permitted height above seven storeys.
“We met in caucus, and it seemed pretty obvious that there would be enough opposition for a register and there would be a referendum,” Roy said. “And it seemed pretty obvious that in a referendum there would be pretty big opposition to the project.”
Marlboro St. resident Elaine Golick, who launched the petitions with a neighbour, said she’s relieved the bylaw has been withdrawn but remains wary of future development proposals.
The petition last week had more than 350 signatures, she said, and many of them were from east of Lucerne and not just her area west of it.
“The petition shows it is widespread,” Golick said. “And I was getting emails from people on the other side of the town.”
The height restriction for the site was initially five storeys. The town raised it to seven in 2008 after designating the former industrial sector for revitalization with more dense residential construction.
“All’s well that ends well,” councillor John Miller said after Monday’s meeting.
“I’ve lived here ( in T. M. R.) all my life, and my vision just didn’t include 10- storey condos.”
Kevlar did not return the Montreal Gazette’s call on Tuesday.
Company co- president Philippe Morin said earlier in November that opposition was coming from a small group of residents whose views would be affected by the project. He expressed frustration that a small group can block a project through the register process.
Kevlar’s first two phases are seven storeys. The company had planned to build two more phases of seven storeys, but sought permission last year to build only one more phase at 12 storeys. Opponents signed a register against 12 storeys, forcing a referendum. The council withdrew the rezoning rather than proceed with a referendum.
The new 10- storey proposal would have offered more green space and added less traffic than two more phases because there would have been fewer condo units without a fourth phase, Roy said.
Kevlar can still build two more buildings at seven storeys, he added.
“It doesn’t change the reality that this sector will have to be completely transformed,” Roy said. “It’s an industrial sector in decline that brings nothing to our community. It’s 100 metres from de la Savane métro station. So this sector will continue its conversion to greater density residential.”