Council gives green light to Cooke Boulevard development ahead of deadline

Just under two weeks before the deadline, Burlington council has made a decision on the proposed development at 1026 Cooke Blvd.

At its March 19 meeting, council passed Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments that will allow a mixed use building of up to 24-storeys in the Aldershot GO Station neighbourhood.

The approval of the building is a departure from what the developer and staff had initially proposed. In December, Halton Standard Condominium Corporation proposed the development of a 29-storey mixed use building with 335 residential units and 370 square metres of commercial space on the ground floor.

But a staff report included at council’s committee of the whole meeting March 5 recommended a modified development of up to 22-storeys, to which several council members voiced their dissent.

“I’m satisfied that where we have landed is a good balance of the thoughts of our planning department and the applicant,” said Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. “This is important, and it does show we are willing to try to do our very hardest to make sure that we get closer together with the applicants and understand their issues.”

To avoid refunding application fees, the city was required to make a decision on the proposed development within 120 days of submission, which would be March 30. 

“I hope that this will be a good news story for the applicant, that they get shovels in the ground soon. We need those units,” Meed Ward said.