People living near the Elm Plaza in Beaconsfield are getting their say about a proposed real estate project that would gut the existing strip mall and replace it with a mixed-use residential and commercial development project.
People are allowed to vote at city hall until 7 PM on May 7th on the proposal.
A lot is at stake.
On the table is a new project with a four storey complex containing 117 residential units as well as a two-storey structure for 13 townhouses.
There would also be space for commercial businesses.
But the strip mall is on Elm Avenue in the middle of a residential neighbourhood where many people oppose the project as proposed, complaining it’s too large.
“I don’t think it’s conducive to the area,” Jason Rossie, a nearby resident, told Global News.
Rossie says what’s being proposed is too big and will attract far too much traffic on residential strips. The resident supports a mixed-use redevelopment plan for the Elm Plaza but not the current offer.
“We’re in favour of something being developed, clean up the area, but as it stands, I would say no,” he said.
It’s a sentiment shared by Catherine Pinnell, who also lives nearby.
Pinnell is happy the current proposal has been reduced in size – but complains it’s still far too large for the area.
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“I appreciate how it’s gone from three storeys to two — that I’m for. It would be nice if they respected all the bylaws and had it pushed back a little bit.”
The operator of a neighbouring daycare also opposes the project as it stands arguing the five year construction timeframe is far too long.
“Throughout this whole thing we never really felt they took this daycare, especially, the children into consideration,” Amanda Ottoni, the Daycare Director, told Global News.
But the owner of a local hair salon that’s been in business for almost four decades at the same location says the proposed project it better than status quo.
“I would like something to go through because the uncertainty is very stressful,” Tamara Rifai, owner of Revolutoin Hair Studio, told Global News.
If enough people sign the registry, it could force a referendum on the issue.
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