Commercial Parking Lots at 192-196 Central Avenue, 193-197 Central Avenue, 200 Albert Street (TZ-9316)

April 8, 2021

Members of the Planning and Environment Committee: 
Phil Squire (Chair) – psquire@london.ca
Steven Hillier – shillier@london.ca
Anna Hopkins – ahopkins@london.ca
Steve Lehman – jlehman@london.ca 
Shawn Lewis – slewis@london.ca
Mayor Ed Holder – mayor@london.ca
Arielle Kayabaga, Ward 13 Councillor – akayabaga@london.ca 
Catherine Maton, Planner – cmaton@london.ca

Dear Councillors, Mayor Holder, and Ms. Maton:

Re: Notice of Planning Application – Zoning By-Law Amendment
Commercial Parking Lots at 192-196 Central Avenue, 193-197 Central Avenue, 200 Albert Street (TZ-9316)

The London Region Branch of Architectural Conservancy Ontario (ACO London) wishes to provide input regarding the applications for zoning by-law amendments to permit the continued operation of surface parking lots at the above three addresses.

Many developers are willing, even anxious, to construct high-rise apartment buildings in downtown London to provide density as prescribed in The London Plan. Heritage buildings and heritage streetscapes are under routine threat from this development pressure. One of the key reasons for this is that owners of the surface parking lots in the downtown core appear unwilling to sell to interested developers. In response, these developers feel that they must purchase and then demolish heritage buildings.

According to a January 15, 2017 article in the London Free Press, “Developers in the city who declined to be identified have said they approached Farhi to buy land, but he will not sell”. (https://lfpress.com/2017/01/15/pressure-may-be-building-but-shmuel-farhi-isnt--yet)

Seemingly little has changed in the last four years, and the serial renewal of these “temporary” zoning provisions diminishes the letter and the spirit of temporary zones. We encourage the Planning & Environment Committee, and City Council, to put an end to temporary use provisions that encourage land owners to hold on to vacant land and profit from it, thereby steering development pressure to less desirable locations in the downtown core (e.g., land where construction cannot occur unless a heritage building is demolished).

In conjunction with the soon-to-be-constructed Bus Rapid Transit system, we Londoners must become accustomed to using public transit on a more consistent basis after the pandemic is behind us. As ridership increases, service frequency and scheduling will improve. Weaning us from our reliance on downtown parking is one step in the direction of improved public transit for all. Fewer parking spaces will encourage more public transit users and fewer automobile commuters. With less competition from surface parking lots, developers may become more interested in constructing high-quality parking garages (such as these primarily US examples: https://architizer.com/blog/practice/materials/house-of-cars/). Developers might also decide to include more extensive (commercial) underground parking in proposed developments.

Denial of this zoning application would be a helpful step towards encouraging more appropriate downtown development. At the same time, it may help – by encouraging more use of public transit – alleviate some of the considerable motor vehicle congestion in the downtown core, thus improving quality of life for those who live, work, and/or play downtown.

Thank you for considering our comments. If you would like to discuss this matter further, please contact me. 

Yours truly,

Kelley McKeating
President, London Region Branch Architectural Conservancy Ontario

Copies: Cathy Saunders, City Clerk - csaunder@london.ca
Heather Lysynski, PEC Committee Secretary - pec@london.ca