JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

Beaconsfield council next week is expected to vote on a zoning change that would allow a residential development project transform a rundown strip mall just north of Highway 20 to move forward.

“It will be on the agenda for approval by council at the next public meeting on Nov. 20,” Mayor Georges Bourelle told The 1510 West, referring to a project that would revamp Elm Plaza on Elm Avenue, west of St. Charles Blvd.

But not all councillors, however, may agree with the zoning change, said Bourelle.

“It’s possible council won’t approve it,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”

In September, council granted preliminary approval to a proposed plan to transform the shopping plaza into a mixed-use commercial development with a high-rise residential component that would include 130 units – 13 townhouses and 117 condos.

Earlier in the year council had rejected the first version of the plan that featured 14 townhouses and 138 condo units, with parking space for up to 211 vehicles and 30 bikes. That project was slammed by local residents, who argued it would lead to major traffic headaches on the surrounding residential streets.

The new plan was outlined at a public consultation meeting Oct. 24, where residents again expressed their concerns about the proposed plan.

They wanted to know how the revised project if given final approval will impact their neighbourhood, especially regarding increased traffic and whether there will be adequate parking for everyone.

Bourelle said it was premature to bring up these issues at this point because council has to first approve the zoning change and the city has not yet received a final plan from the developer.

“We haven’t seen the revised architectural design of the project,” he said last week.

The city will be able to answer citizens’ concerns about the project only after the developer resubmits its revised architectural design to the city. But first, council has to approve the zoning change, which is crucial for any residential plan to move forward.

“It’s not a done deal,” Bourelle said. “There’s a lot that still has to be adjusted before council would go ahead with it.

If council adopts the zoning change, citizens could still block the initiative at the public registry stage. If enough signatures are collected on the registry, council would be forced to withdraw the zoning change or put it to a referendum.

At the end of 2022, the plaza was sold for $9 million to a numbered company, which put forward the redevelopment plan.

Cutline:

Beaconsfield council is set to vote on a zoning change for the Elm Plaza site to allow a proposed commercial-residential project to move forward.