Letter to Councillor Saundercook & L. Bozinoff - 15/4/2010

For before and after composite Montage see previous blog

April 15, 2010

Circulation: To the Residents of the Greater Baby Point Circle Area

Dear Councillor Saundercook and Mr. Lorne Bozinoff;

In reference to : EY35.4 Site Plan Application – Final Report and Site Plan Approval
(to permit the construction of a new detached dwelling for the lands at 66 Baby Point Road)

I have received the letter of April 7, 2010 from the City of Toronto in reference to 66 Baby Point Road

Let me say at the outset that more than 100 residents of the greater Baby Point Circle community, many who met with you and your client Mr. Bozinoff on the evening of March 25th, 2010 at the Baby Point Club, remain seriously distressed by the sequence of events that led to final approval of this project. This culminated in the defeat of the motion to defer this matter at City of Toronto Council on March 31st.

None of the concerns brought to your desk, or to the attention of Mr. Lorne Bozinoff, have been addressed in a significant or constructive manner. In fact, stated bluntly, the legitimate concerns of a majority of this established and historic residential community have been trivialized and marginalized.

That being said, I wish to recapitulate the three undertakings made by yourself at that meeting.

 To provide an overview of the Property Tax implications of this development

 To move for deferral of the upcoming motion to approve EY35.4 Site Plan Application.

 To provide the community at the earliest opportunity with an accurately scaled sketch of the frontal and east elevations of the proposed property.

The first item regarding Property Taxes has been addressed as previously confirmed.1

The inexplicable defeat of the motion in item #2 is a barrier to closure of this matter.

The final undertaking remains outstanding, although note has been taken of your remarks made to City Council March 31, 2010.

To quote; “’m convinced it is a true rendering of what the applicant intends to do”

As a consequence, a further analysis of the rendering of the impact on the streetscape of the frontal elevation of the proposed home for 66 Baby Point Road was undertaken.

Observations:
The sketch presented by Mr. Lorne Bozinoff to the community, and presented by yourself to Council,2 is not associated with any published metrics or any declaration that it is to scale.

When recompiled using the metrics of the adjacent homes including the horizontal dimensions of the buildings a more accurate estimation of the scale of the architectural drawing of the proposed home in proportion to the existing properties can be made. (eg #64 Baby Pt frontage 54 ft 3 in.)

 The horizontal dimension of the proposed home at 66 Baby Point Road is significantly under represented.
 The vertical dimension of the proposed home at 66 Baby Point Road is also significantly under represented.
 The magnitude of this under representation is in the range of 10-13 percent.

The effect of this misrepresentation is substantial as is illustrated below:

The east aperture between #64 Baby Point and #66 Baby Point is represented as being over eight feet (8 ft.) than will be the case when the property is built to the side set back parameters of 1.5 m on the west and 1.2 m on the east.

The roof height will be 4-1/2 feet higher than represented in the ”Bozinoff” sketch.

Recall that this proposed development is between 5,900 sq ft to 6,500 sq ft ., dependent on whether the attached garage is included. Suffice it to say that in either case the proposed home is more than twice (2x) the size of the average of the next ten adjacent homes in that immediate area. (2,724 sq. ft) (MPAC)

Regardless of whether or not these incorrect representations were deliberate or presented by mischance, the fact remains that this was a serious misrepresentation of the situation at hand.

Moreover, it is my considered opinion that there was no justification for any party presenting this material as an accurate representation of the visual impact that this mega home will have on the street scape of Baby Point Road in the vicinity of “The Circle”

To do so strains credulity.

In closing, Mr. Bozinoff and Mr. Saundercook , as per your committed action step to the Baby Point residents three weeks ago on March 25, the community asks once more to be provided on an expedited basis, accurate drawings and all relevant measurements of the 66 Baby Point Road plans.

Sincerely,
Dr. Robert Galway
66 Baby Point Road
On behalf of Concerned Baby Point Residents