Drive-thru plan set for approval

March 25, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Brock Weir

The site plan for a new plaza on Bayview Avenue just south of St. John’s Sideroad is up for Council approval next week.

The land in question lies immediately south of the LCBO near Real Canadian Superstore and has been subject to considerable debate at Public Planning meetings, after nearby residents raised objections to the construction of a McDonald’s drive-thru in the area near residential developments.

These objections included noise, traffic, and odors they feared would impact the surrounding neighbourhoods. While residents said they did not object to the plaza itself, the drive-thru was the sticking point. A two lane drive-thru would “create a lot of noise from the squawk boxes, never mind the consistent odour of fried food floating across our yards,” said resident Angela Barbetta.”

The plan calls for the development of a standalone McDonald’s, alongside two multi-unit commercial buildings over an area of 3.9 acres.

A number of variances will need to be met by the builders before the development can become a reality, including a provision to reduce the number of required parking spaces to 137 from 163, a reduction in of one of the three required loading spaces, and tweaks to buffering and driveway access.

“The building is designed in a consistent manner as the National Bank building to the south with respect to massing,” said Marco Ramunno, Aurora’s Director of Planning, in a report to this week’s General Committee meeting. “Adequate hedgerow planting has been provided between the drive-thru and Pedersen Drive, which helps mitigate the visual impacts on the proposed drive-thru on the surrounding area.”