The majority of residents in a Toronto neighbourhood have joined forces to fight a development they claim will add to congestion, overwhelm the neighbourhood, and even threaten the safety of locals.
You’d think, based on the description above, that we were talking about some tall tower that would loom large over the landscape, but nope, it’s basically just a house.
A minor variance application with the City of Toronto’s Committee of Adjustment (CoA) seeks to convert a small bungalow at 28 Valiant Road in Etobicoke into a three-storey house-form fourplex.
Plans to convert the existing bungalow date back to a 2021 CoA approval to construct a two-storey rear addition and second-storey add-on, which was later updated with a late 2024 minor variance application seeking approval to build a similarly-scaled fourplex.
However, the neighbourhood has banded together and sent dozens of letters in objection to the plan ahead of a pivotal CoA vote on Jan. 23.
A resident living in a bungalow around the corner from the proposal site, wrote to the CoA to “strongly oppose the plan,” saying that “a building of this magnitude, on this property, which is so ill-suited to the proposal, will directly and severely impact my property negatively.”
Another area resident a few doors down claims that a “large building” of three storeys “will be dangerous for vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area,” saying that it is already “difficult to see around corners when driving and walking” at this intersection.
More Westrose Avenue residents chimed in with letters opposing the project, like one resident who shared a letter of “strong objection to the proposal,” and characterizing the fourplex as “overwhelming height and density” that they feel exhibits “incompatibly with The Kingsway neighbourhood character.”
Just next door from that neighbour, another local called the proposal a “massive overbuild on a small lot that has unique challenges given the confluence of three streets.”
One door over, residents said the proposal poses “congestion issues” for the area, saying there is currently “not enough room for street parking” to support four homes less than one kilometre from a subway station.
The complaints weren’t isolated either. Almost 50 letters of objection from entire blocks of the neighbourhood have rallied against the proposal.
Some locals have possibly even taken extrajudicial measures to fight the proposal. One neighbour around the corner at 132 Westrose Ave. wrote the CoA to inform them that a development sign on the property was toppled over and re-erected, only to be knocked down again later.
In contrast, just two letters have been sent to the CoA supporting the project. Of particular note, one local wrote in to withdraw their earlier objection and support the proposal.
“I withdraw my previous objection, and I do wish the owners well with their project. I do hope for everyone’s sake it is a successful build and residence for them,” writes the neighbourhood resident.
While the local is disappointed that the owners have “gone to the max” in terms of size, they have changed their opinion of the project after overcoming the neighbourhood’s collective knee-jerk response to density and familiarizing themselves with the zoning regulations.
Though some may sympathize with homeowners’ concerns about the proposal, it’s worth mentioning that the site in question is located a short walk from Royal York subway station on the TTC’s Line 2, and is in an area of the city where surrounding homes regularly sell for north of $1.8 million.
