By Staff
January 24th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
In a note to residents in Ward 5 who are on the Council member’s mailing list Paul Sharman sent the following:
“As you may remember from the previous Open House letter that was mailed in July 2018, the City of Burlington received applications from Burlington Retail Portfolio Inc. to re-designate and rezone the properties located at 5353 Lakeshore Road (Lakeside Plaza).
It was standing room only at the Lakeside Plaza visioning event in 2015.
“The purpose of these applications is to permit a mixed use redevelopment with building heights ranging from one to eighteen storeys. The applications propose 900 new residential units, 2,700 square metres of office space and 11, 955 square metres of service commercial and retail uses with 1350 parking surface and underground parking spaces. Access will be maintained from Kenwood Avenue, Hampton Heath Road and Lakeshore Road.
“The property is currently zoned ‘Neighbourhood Commercial (CN1-63)’. According to the City’s Official Plan, the subject properties are designated Neighbourhood Commercial.
Sharman then advises his constituents that “there will be a Statutory Public Information Meeting; residents are invited to attend and learn more about the proposed Official Plan amendment and Zoning By-law amendment applications for 5353 Lakeshore Road. This meeting will take place on: February 12, 6:30 pm; City Hall Council Chambers, Level 2.
“This report does not include a recommendation about the application at this time. The purpose of the information report is to update all members of Council about the development proposal. The report will be available on the City’s website at www.burlington.ca/calendar by searching for the meeting date for the Planning and Development Committee. A copy of the report can also be picked up at the City Clerk’s Department on the main level of City Hall.”
In his most recent report to his constituents Councillor Sharman adds:
Former Mayor Rick Goldring on the left talking to Cynthia Zahorak and the developer at the Lakeshore Village Plaza visioning event in 2015.
“The applicant is in control of what they chose to apply for, not me and not Council. At this stage the applicant heard what members of the public had to say at open house meetings in July and August. I understand the City has not received a modified application.
“Meanwhile, the review period of 210 days has passed, and the City needs to move the file along. Hence there will be a Statutory Public Meeting on February 12.
“Council will not have the ability to make any decisions on the application until staff prepare a recommendation report, sometime in the future. We will learn in the course of time whether the applicant has chosen to reduce the scale, density, design and parking numbers.
“If you have any questions about these applications, please contact me.”
That’s the official word from the ward Councillor. Paul Sharman appears to have taken a pass on the opportunity to comment on the rich background and his personal involvement in the development of this project.
Sharman was an advocate for something in the way of development in the east end in a Plaza that had certainly seen better days. He went into Toronto to try and meet with the people who paid the taxes on the property but was able to get beyond the receptionist – which for Paul Sharman is surprising.
What is missing in the information Councillor Sharman provided is his view on the development. Sharman has never been known for hiding his views in the past. He is outspoken, direct, at times bombastic – he seldom ‘shilly shallies’.
Lakeside village plaza proposal
The development is huge in scale. It brought out hundreds of people who gathered in a small space during the summer to look at the architectural renderings and ask city staff and the developer’s consultants questions.
The development has a long history. Councillor Sharman wanted to see something done with a Plaza that was in pretty sad shape – it was well past its prime.
During a Council meeting when Jeff Fielding was city manager Sharman informed his colleagues that he had tried to meet the owners at their offices in Toronto – wasn’t able to get past the receptionist.
There was a worried looking Paul Sharman at the first public showing of what the developer had in mind for what was now being called the Lakeshore Village Plaza
Sharman felt there was an opportunity to merge the small arena and park to the north of the development and pull it together with the Burloak Park that was being upgraded.
An architect provided some exceptional drawings showing what could be done.
Some of the original thinking by the architects had the park and arena to the north of the plaza tied into the development and the BurlOak park to the south.
Pictures of meet here
City staff that participated in the July-August public display of the developer’s plans did say, off the record, that the development the city was looking at was not quite what they had in mind.
At that point the city did not have a completed application to act on.
The developer was testing public reaction – and they certainly got an earful.
City staff were out in force at the Lakeside Plaza visioning exercise. The developer was in the room but does not appear to have heard what the citizens had to say,
Community concern became an election issue – the only thing that kept Sharman in office was the number of candidates that ran against him. With four people running against him Sharman was able to split the vote and get returned to city hall; where he has yet to comment on the size and scale of a development that will certainly change the look, feel and traffic flow in the community.
Expect some vigorous community reaction to this one at the Statutory meeting scheduled for February 12th.
It is my hope that a large number of east-end Lakeshore residents impacted by this unrealistic and totally unacceptable application, will accept Mr. Sharman’s invitation to make their views known at this upcoming Statutory Meeting. Our opposition must be made clear. In the new (not in effect) OP, the Neighbourhood Centre Policy is a section that must be revised for the smaller properties such as this one. The Neighbourhood Centre Policy for land use for 4 to 12 hectares must distinguish between smaller and larger sites, just as the existing (in effect)OP does under Neighbourhood Commercial (Lakeside Village Plaza 3.84 ha.) vs. Community Commercial (Appleby Village 6.6 ha.) This application is an absolutely stunning example of the over-intensification problem that the new (not in effect) OP causes. That Mr. Sharman still approves of 720 residential units to be built (as found in his election campaign handouts & website) instead of the 900 proposed just shows how much he continues to favour over-development for this parcel of land. It also includes 17,835 square metres of commercial use when you include the grocery store. Unbelievable! Two lane Lakeshore Rd. with bicycle lanes will never be widened says the City. So, how would it ever be able to handle the increased traffic?
Our neighbourhood quality of life is at risk if this ridiculous proposal is accepted. All resident input obviously meant nothing to this developer. Other similar properties throughout the city that fall under the Neighbourhood Centre Policy will also be impacted with unacceptable levels of growth if this present application is not rejected. We have hope that the new Council will make the sensible decision on this proposal and move on modifying the Neighbourhood Centre Policy in the new OP.
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On Feb. 16th, those on Mr. Sharman’s email list received this notice which I copy below:
Lakeside Plaza Redevelopment, 5353 Lakeshore Road, Public Meeting
Speak to Council on Feb 12 if you want your views known!!
Dear Friends and Neighours,
Many of you know about the application to redevelop Lakeside Plaza. I provided significant coverage in previous newsletters. Many of you attended open house presentations in July and August.
The application is proceeding to the next stage of the process. There is a legally required Statutory Public Meeting which will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall. At this meeting members of the public may present their views to all members of Council, City staff and the applicant in an official, legally required meeting.
Your input at this meeting is of critical importance. You may register to speak (delegate) in advance of the meeting. Alternatively, you may simply raise your hand at the meeting and you will be recognized and asked to come forward.
If you wish to preregister in advance to speak at the statutory public meeting, please register online at http://www.burlington.ca/delegation or contact Jo-Anne Rudy, Committee Clerk at (905) 335-7600 Ext. 7413 or email
Jo-Anne.Rudy@burlington.ca. Speakers are limited to a maximum of 10 minutes each and are webcasted online.
To learn more about the Statutory Public Meeting on the planning applications for 5353 Lakeshore Road (Lakeside Plaza) scheduled for February 12 at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers. https://ow.ly/VzkS30nkZib
I look forward to seeing you at the meting and to hear your comments.
Paul Sharman
I must correct my error regarding the date of the notice about the statutory meeting from Mr. Sharman …it arrived by email on January 16th.
The Sharman newsletter part appearing here did not notify the readers and public that they can delegate to Council at this February 12 meeting.
Was this actually missing from the Sharman piece?
This is an important meeting that people need to attend and to delegate their views to Council and staff.
People get 10 minutes, and for Statutory Meetings they can just show up to speak, although to be more credible and remembered a written delegation of concerns is best.
Was this also missing from the Sharman piece?
But the main idea is to get out there and let the new Council know what you want.
I looked at the Sharman newsletter just now and the guidance to residents that I mentioned above is completely missing, as I noted.
There is something wrong here.
“Paul Sharman appears to have taken a pass on the opportunity to comment on the rich background and his personal involvement in the development of this project.”
“he has yet to comment on the size and scale of a development that will certainly change the look, feel and traffic flow in the community.”
Any due diligence would find that these statements are not accurate. The below is copied from the Ward 5 councillor’s November newsletter, where he explains exactly what his thoughts are on the matter:
Lakeside Plaza Update
Here is what I wrote in a recent letter to Ward 5 residents:
I am opposed to the Lakeside Plaza Application as submitted.
I appreciate that some of you may have not had a chance to view my re-election website and
therefore you may not know my position on the application the city has received to redevelop
Lakeside Plaza. In any event, I oppose what has been proposed! Here are the facts:
● It has not been approved and formal Council discussion will not happen for more than 6
months yet.
● For many years, community members have complained about the state of Lakeside Plaza.
● In 2014, I initiated a process to encourage the owners to redevelop the old plaza.
● That process culminated in a community meeting in the Fall of 2015 with the owners and
approximately 350 community members to discuss community preferences.
● In Spring 2018, the owners applied to develop the property
Presently, the application is undergoing evaluation by city staff and the community.
● Four two-hour on-site open house meetings were held in July and August 2018, for
community members to review the application and provide comments to city and applicant
staff, as well as me.
● I attended every meeting and I recognize and agree with the concerns. All concerns were
recorded, will be responded to by staff and I expect will lead to amendments to the plans.
● When the application is modified and reviews by staff are complete, there will be further
opportunities for community members to comment and to ask for further changes.
● Many people believe the proposal has too many housing units, too many vehicle parking
spaces, too much height and is not attractive. Community members believe the location is
not appropriate for what is being proposed. I agree with all these views
● Some people have said that I favour high buildings. This is not correct. Please see my
website http://www.PaulSharman.ca regarding old versus new Official Plan (OP) considerations.
I did approve the new OP in April because it complies with Ontario law, whereas the
existing OP did not. It calls for 6 storeys at Lakeside Plaza by right with the possibility of
going to 11 with proper justification, i.e. retail and commercial plus residential, and 720
units…. not 18 or 14 storeys, not 900 units nor 1500 parking spots, which have been
applied for.
● It remains to be seen how staff and the applicant deal with community concerns. Notices
will be sent to community members about future meetings.
Contrary to what you quote Sharman as saying – “I did approve the new OP in April because it complies with Ontario law, whereas the existing OP did not. This is wrong.
The existing OP is the planning law for Burlington according to Ontario law. It does not comply according to the Region, and despite what Sharman said in his today newsletter, this non-compliance is for more that “a few items”.
The items that don’t comply are the most important underpinnings of the plan – two are employment and transportation. Need I say more?
Sharman voted to adopt the new Plan despite these key parts being missing, and so back it came.
So the existing OP is in force and effect under Planning law until a revised OP is adopted by Burlington City Council and then approved by the Region.
The so-called “Ontario law” he talks about are not laws but Ontario policies. The law says the existing OP is the law. The relevant policies are guidances and targets that the City is on track to meet.
Nothing against the law here.
I really wish Sharman would get his facts straight and narrow, not bent and misleading, on such important things.
While I’m here, I restate my comment here above about him completely not telling residents about their rights to delegate at the Statutory Meeting Feb. 12.
More facts missing in action.