Five-storey apartment coming to Bond Street West in Oshawa

A vacant lot on Bond Street, just west of downtown, will be home to a five-storey apartment building in the near future after concerns over potential flooding, parking and building height were deemed “not substantial enough” to warrant another public meeting.

The proposed building at 184 Bond St. W was approved in principle, with staff tasked with bringing a final report to council later this year.

The lands at the northwest corner of Bond and Arena Street – immediately south (and lower in elevation) of the Valleyview Community Centre – were originally slated for a six-storey, 52-unit building but a revised application from D.G. Biddle and Associates brought the numbers down to five storeys and 38 units after concerns from some residents about floodplain issues.

D.G. Biddle submitted a geotechnical report, a stormwater management and servicing report, a site grading plan, a site servicing plan, an erosion and sediment control plan, and pre- and post-development storm drainage plans to demonstrate to staff’s satisfaction there will be “no negative stormwater impacts” on the site or neighbouring properties during and after construction.

The reduced building height and number of residential units has also reduced the parking requirements but the new total (30 tenant plus eight visitor) meets City requirements.

The downside to the revised application is the developer “no longer intends” to designate 25 per cent of the building as affordable housing.

The revised application, staff noted in its report, differs a bit from the original proposal approved last September but “such differences are not substantial enough to require further notice and another public meeting.”