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LETTER: Citizen lauds plan for apartment buildings in West Ridge

Ensuring new projects provide a wide range of housing, including multi-residential buildings that are affordable ... should be an ongoing planning priority, reader says
2021-04-06 West Ridge Trailside Community 2
Public notices, including this one on Line 15, let people know about changes being proposed as part of the planned West Ridge Trailside Community.

OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor. This letter is in reference to a story published April 7, titled 'Planned west end development includes 1,300 units, park, school sites.' Send your letter to [email protected]
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I am pleased to see that one fifth of a proposed 1300-unit subdivision in West Orillia will be earmarked for apartment buildings.

High density, multi-residential buildings have been sorely lacking in West Ridge to this point.

It is current provincial policy to increase density in established neighbourhoods through infilling. However, squeezing larger buildings into existing neighbourhoods usually meets with opposition, as is the case with several active proposals.

Rarely do residents show up at planning meetings asking developers to make their buildings higher and parking lots larger.

By contrast, future residents of this proposed subdivision in Orillia West can hardly object to larger buildings that are part of the mix from day one.

Mariposa Place, the 88-unit affordable housing, high rise on Fittons Road East, exists because the developer was required by provincial policy of the day to dedicate 25 per cent of the Rynard Subdivision to affordable housing.

No such requirement exists today though the need is as great as ever.

Making sure new projects provide a wide range of housing, including multi-residential buildings that are affordable to all members of the community should be an ongoing planning priority.

Colin McKim
Orillia

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