The Character of Our Community is under Threat - Rooming Houses

A few months ago, the Glen Andrew Community Association shared this post about rooming houses that sacrifices the true character of our community. There are plenty of ways rooming houses negatively affect our community. 

Please read about it here

The Character of Our Community is under Threat.

A Message from your Glen Andrew Community Association

 2 Cora Crescent is on the corner of Cora and Doerr Road. That’s just east of Brimley a bit north of Brimorton Drive. 

It’s what most of us would call a bungalow. Like many of our homes, it was built 60 years ago with three bedrooms on the main floor, a full basement and a carport on the side.  

It looks like the owner converted part of the basement into an apartment some time ago.

OK… no problem there. A lot of us have put in a basement apartment for grown children before they can afford their own home, maybe an elderly parent, a relative coming to the big city or just to help with those huge mortgage payments. 

No problem as s long as the number of cars is under control.

But the owner of 2 Cora wants to build a two-car garage in place of the carport and build what most of us would call a second storey over both the existing home and the new garage.

Well…that’s pretty ambitious but not totally out of keeping with some homes in the neighbourhood.

There are a fair number of Glen Andrew homes with a second storey over the garage or ‘back splits’. A few have ripped off the roof of a bungalow and built a full second storey. They fit in pretty well.

So what’s the problem with 2 Cora? 

The plans filed by the owner show 2 Cora will have 7 bedrooms, and seven bathrooms, and two kitchens, and two furnaces/hot water heaters. There are two rooms in the second storey labelled ‘T.V. Lounge’ and ‘Reading Library’. It’s pretty easy to convert these two rooms to additional bedrooms or kitchens after the City Building Inspectors leave. 

The 7 bathrooms tell the story: this is a rooming house. 

The owner’s plans are caught up in the Zoning By-law. The owner needs approval from the Committee of Adjustment for four variances to get a Building Permit.  The Committee will make their decision on January 13th.

The members of the Committee have a bunch of things they have to consider before they can approve a Variance.  The key ones for Glen Andrew are that they cannot approve a Variance unless it is -

…desirable for the appropriate development or use of the land, building or structure; and
…general intent and purpose of the by-law and of the official plan are maintained. 

On January 13th when this comes in front of the Committee, we have to make sure the members of the Committee pay close attention, read the plans and ask questions. Like:

    

    • Why does a single-family home, even one with a basement apartment, need 7 bathrooms?

    • Or two furnaces

    • How do we know the TV Lounge and Reading Library will not be converted to even more bedrooms or kitchens when our Building Inspectors can’t get in to see unless you let them?

I think if the members of the Committee take the time to look at the plans they will reach the same conclusion we have: 

    •    These plans are for a rooming house which is NOT permitted in Glen Andrew. 

    •    The proposed development is NOT appropriate. 

    •    The application should be refused.

Our President Iain McLeod will be writing to the Committee and to our Councillor Michael Thompson. He will be asking that this application be refused.

If you feel strongly about this as we do, please write to our Councillor Michael Thompson at

Toronto City Hall

100 Queen Street West, Suite B31

Toronto, ON M5H 2N2

or email Councillor Thompson at: councillor_thompson@toronto.ca

Please write to the Committee of Adjustment at:

Michael Mizzi, Secretary-Treasurer 

Scarborough Committee of Adjustment 

150 Borough Drive 

Toronto, Ontario M1P 4N7 

Or email Mr. Mizzi at: coa.sc@toronto.ca

You can write or email Councillor Thompson any time up to January 13th but letters/emails to Mr. Mizzi have to be in by January 6th.

Glen Andrew is a beautiful place to raise our families and enjoy our senior years. Let’s keep it that way.

Yours truly,

Lorne Ross.

Saratoga Drive, Scarborough.