12 STOREYS OF LAKESIDE CONDOS TRUMP AFFORABLE HOUSING AS GRAVENHURST REZONES TINY CORNER OF ‘MUSKOKA WHARF’ LANDS
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
GRAVENHURST — A growing condo/retail development at near or around the Muskoka Wharf appears headed for the stars.
Gravenhurst town council planning meeting members approved official plan and zoning changes that will all the Rosseau Group to proceed with plans for a second phase before shovels dig in on its first significant phase.
After previously approving a seven-storey first phase for 151 condos on Lake Muskoka, another 56 were approved — along with new ground floor retail — just metres behind on Cherokee Lane, which will be closed off at the end of the street.
In another council battle that was a case of “déjà vu” as Mayor Heidi Lorenz called it, members listened to public concerns, but ultimately voted 5-3 to allow the Rosseau Group to proceed with a project its planner said he was unsure of which phase would be built first.
Stefan Szczerbak, of Planscape, thought they probably needed to be built together.
Including the second phase that includes part of the underground parking garage – where the entrance to it will be – when Cherokee Lane is closed off. A couple of houses there now would make way for the new five-storey condo tower and retail market space.
Much of the discussion was the same as over the first phase.
Including concerns over parking. Starboard received exemption on 17 vehicle spaces and will be allowed to pay $7,500 per spot in lieu of providing them.
And Muskoka Steamsships operators are concerned about encroachment on what will soon officially be a parking lot mostly reserved for their parking lot customers. An agreement is in the works now.
President John Miller fears a brewery open to the public would see beer drinkers parking in front of the Segwun and Wenonah II. He expresses those concerns over the first phase. But didn’t comment on the latest phase 2 proposal.
Neighbours like Christine Purdon and Charles Stuart, who own property on Greavette Street in behind the project and also own Greavette Island out front, spoke to climate, waterfront, green spaces and part of the Trans Canada Trail next to it.
Gord Durnan called the whole are including the three corner lots that were rezoned from residential to commercial “overcrowded.”
He’d like to see phase one built first.
“Prove yourself,” then let’s see about the next phase, which could now include a brewery and restaurant.
Durnan also expressed concern about the loss of waterfront generally, which councillors Sandy Cairns and Penny Varney agreed with. All at the expense of an equally dying downtown.

But it was Cheryl Poirier, who lives on Winhara Road, who focused in on lack of any affordable housing that the Starboard will not have citing her mother being on a long waiting list for housing.
She was told by staff and many on council that tourism is ultimately more important overall.
Councillors Johnston felt irked at they not being able to express concerns and questions about the approving staff reports.
Johnston said he wasn’t concerned about the cost of an OLT hearing like last time, but was only doing his job as a councillor.
However Lorenz and councillor Randy Jorgenson remained true to their past pro-development stands.
Lorenz said “there’s money to be made from development,” which they said will pay for other town needs like winter snow plows and more attainable housing.
The final vote split was about the same as the first phase.

EMAIL: [email protected]
30 years of TRUSTED ‘Local Online Journalism’
SINCE MAY 20, 1994
Twitter: @muskokatoday, Facebook: mclairmont1
SUBSCRIBE for $30 by e-transferring to [email protected]
Mail cheque to MuskokaTODAY.com Box 34 Gravenhurst, Ont. P1P 1T5
And include your email address to get stories sent to your inbox