ADI submits revised plans for Martha St: 26 storeys, more units, above ground parking removed

ADI has submitted revised plans for its proposed 26-storey building at 374 Martha, at the the corner of  Lakeshore. After purchasing 380 Martha next door, ADI asked for the opportunity to revise its proposed development to include the assembled parcel. Prior to the purchase, the proposal had wrapped around property, which contains a single, detached home.

City staff, council and the community did not support the original proposal, which started at 28 storeys then was revised to 26-storeys, considering it “over-development” of the site. ADI appealed the project to the Ontario Municipal Board. A hearing was to take place in March 2016, but ADI asked for an adjournment to revise plans following the purchase of the adjacent home. A new hearing will start in February 2017.

The full list of revisions for the enlarged site is as follows, and can be found in:

• the applicant’s Planning Justification Report 374-Martha-Planning-Justification-Report-June-2016
• City of Burlington notice of revisions.  160712-COB-NOTICE-374 Martha
• updated chart provided by applicant showing the revisions between the first 28-storey proposal, the revised June 2016 proposal, and the existing Zoning regulations: 160718-Key Changes between the Original and Revise

The original proposals (28- and 26-storey), June 2016 revisions, supporting documents and staff reports are available on the city web site dedicated to this project here: 374 Martha

CONSOLIDATED LIST OF REVISIONS:

• elimination of the above-grade parking garage in favour of residential and amenity space
• reduction in the height of the podium from five storeys to one- and three-storeys, above which a 23-storey tower would rise
• total height of 26 storeys (88.4 m), inclusive of the podium; first proposal was 28 storeys, 87.86m, revised to 26 storeys before the adjournment; zoning bylaw allows 4 storeys
• area of the development site increased from 1,359 square metres to 1,701 square metres
• overall gross floor area increased from 15,089 square metres to 19,159 square metres (which is primarily the result of the substitution of the above grade parking with residential and amenity space uses)
• floor space index has increased slightly from 11.9:1 FSI to 11.26:1 FSI; zoning bylaw allow floor area ratio of 4:1
• residential units increased, and the mix changed: from a total unit count of 192 units in the original 26 storey proposal  (mix=145 one-bedroom units; 45 two-bedroom units; 2 three-bedroom units) to a total of 240 units in the revised 26-storey proposal (mix=4 studios, 162 one-bedroom /one-bedroom plus den, 74 two-bedroom/two-bedroom plus den) (Note: first proposal, of 28-storeys, had 226 units)
• Indoor and outdoor amenity areas redesigned; first proposal (28-storeys) had 1,991 m2 of amenity space; June 2016 revised proposal has 3,258 m2 (Note: zoning bylaw requires 4,800 m2 amenity space)
• amenity areas located on 2nd, 4th, and 20th storeys
• parking increased commensurate with the increase in the number of units; now includes 241 parking spaces on 6 levels underground for 240 residential units; First proposal, of 28-storeys, had 218 spaces, 2 levels of above ground and 4 levels of underground. Zoning bylaw requires 300 spaces
• ground floor retail space has increased from 327 square metres to 423.2 square metres.

A hearing on the revised proposal has been set for February 2017. ADI and the city are required to meet certain deadlines set by the Board in the ADI-procedural order-pl150274-Mar-31-2016, as follows:

1. ADI formally amends application:  June 30, 2016
2. Public notice of revised application: June 30, 2016
3. Agency circulation of revised application: End of June 2016
4. Staff review of revised application: mid – September 2016
5. Public meeting (Non-statutory): mid-October 2016
6. Council consideration of revised application: Late October 2016 (council meets Oct. 31)
7. Revised issues list due: After council meeting
8. Revised witness list due: After council meeting
9. Prehearing Conference: 2-day prehearing conference, starts Oct. 27 2016
10. Agreed statements of facts, matters in dispute and expert witnesses to be called: Dec. 12
11. Witness statements due to Board: Dec. 19
12. Participant statements due to the Board, copy to each of the parties: Jan. 23, 2017 (a number of residents are formal participants in the hearing)
13. Reply witness statements/visual evidence due: Jan. 30, 2017
14. Hearing: Scheduled for two weeks beginning Feb. 21, 2017 – March 6, 2016

Residents and businesses within 120m of the property received formal written notification of the resubmission and were asked to provide comments to city staff by Aug. 31 for inclusion in the staff recommendation report. Send comments to

There were 26 issues identified in the original issues list for the 28-storey proposal, dated Oct. 14, 2015. To read the list and see background on this file, visit previous article here:

What adjournment of OMB hearing on 374 Martha means, and My Take

A revised issues list, taking into account the revised June 2016 proposal, is due after council considers this file in October.

The process outlined above provides opportunity for city staff, the public and city council to review and comment on the revised application. The decision-maker on this development application remains the OMB. Staff’s position, and council’s position, along with public input, will be conveyed to the Board during hearing which begins Feb. 21, at City Hall.

My Take: The revisions address some of the concerns raised about the original proposal (for example, the above ground parking) but not all (for example, height). Staff will complete a full assessment of the revised proposal, which should be available for council and community review in the fall.