I have lived in Guelph & have also been a Student Landlord in this City for 33 years. I am writing to present my opposition to the above proposed development
The following comments are some of the reasons why this proposal should be completely rejected.
1) The proposal is not appropriate for the location & is contradictory to the official plan.
The developer is requesting 10 variance applications which indicates just how unsuitable the proposal is to the existing zoning and official plan
It is irrelevant whether the proposal is for 1500 bedrooms or a 1,000 or 500 bedrooms.
Guelph has had a past policy of spreading student accommodations through-out the City so ghetto like areas would not develop as in Kingston or concentrated student rentals would not occur as in Waterloo. Witness the City’s efforts to past the 100 meter separation distance by-law in 2010 (since appealed) on 4+2 accessory houses to support that process.
To locate 1,500 or 500 students in a concentrated area will create a potential ghetto. A similar situation is developing with the Richmond Student Properties which contains 600 + bedrooms. As a Student Landlord I rent to students who
leave those properties because they are noisy with ineffective day to day management. Accommodations there are similar to a campus residence. However there are not University disciplinary sanctions to keep unsocial behavior under control. We understand Student Tenants themselves call police to deal with for noise complaints. In addition, the Richmond properties are close to campus yet still have ongoing vacancies while my more distant student accommodations remain occupied.2)I am a student landlord & I expect a level playing field with my competition.
This Developer is requesting variances from by-laws that I and other Student Landlords are expected to abide by.
For example, the City considers it illegal for me to rent 5 plus bedrooms to students. Yet this Developer appears confident he can build & rent 5 bedrooms to students. Why the inconsistency?
3)There has been a surplus of off-campus housing for the past 4 years. Thus, there is no need for this development from an accommodations perspective.
The University’s present enrollment is not expected to grow for the next five years as stated by senor University Administrators. There has been a surplus of off-campus student accommodations for the last 4 years. I understand there are even vacancies in on-campus residences.
What is the justification to accept this proposal fro this perspective?
4)The Developer incorrectly justifies his proposal to help resolve the supposedly negative “destabilization” impact that student housing have on neighbourhoods.
Without repeating in detail my comments I made to you, Mayor Farbridge and to Councillors last summer, “destabilization” is an unsupported exaggeration. Complaints about potential “neighbourhood destabilization” are really an issue of by-law enforcement (i.e. the lack of it in the past) and not an issue of student rental housing density in University area neighbourhoods.
Should the proposal be approved in whole or part the adjacent University neighbourhoods will not experience a decrease of student housing density. Outlying student accommodation will become vacant as those student move closer to campus in response to the proposed development becoming occupied with Student rentals. This has been the experience in Waterloo when student high rises were built on Columbia Street & University Avenue.
Ironically, it seems the outlying neighbourhoods in Guelph are not complaining about student rental housing as compared to the adjacent University neighbourhoods. Yet it is the outlying areas that will experience less student rental density, not the closer University neighbourhoods, should all or part of this project be approved.
Compared to the specter of a concentrated 1,000 or 1,500 bedroom development the present system of accessorized 2-unit houses with their low neighbourhood foot print looks very attractive.
In conclusion, I hope you consider my comments when you make your decision on this matter.MH