Gráinne Aitken fears a new development on the edge of Cambridge will change the face of her tight-knit community. Aitken, along with her neighbours on Riverbank Drive, reached out to Ward 1 Coun. Helen Shwery after news 109 townhouse units have been proposed at 245 Riverbank Dr.
, where a lone home sits now. At a June 18 public meeting, the developer will request the lands be designated low/medium residential from rural residential, with zoning changes to allow stacked townhomes and row housing. Site specific changes ask for a density of 55 units per hectare on the 2.
24-hectare net land, as well as a maximum of eight attached one-family dwelling units from six. The home on the property will be demolished. “We feel it’s not keeping with the existing neighbourhood,” Aitken said.
“The street itself is 3.6-kilometres long, and there’s around 90 homes across the 3.6 km.
So, replacing what is now one home with 109, that’s seems to be quite a big adjustment and a big difference. With the additional homes will come a lot of other issues, such as traffic and access.” The look of the neighbourhood wasn’t the only concern, Aitken said, as the residents believe direct access onto Riverbank Drive would destroy one of the city’s last scenic routes and is not suitable for additional traffic.
She is hoping the developer can be convinced to make the entrance and exit to the development from Intermarket Road, with only an emergency access currently on the plans. The neighbou.
