We are writing in regards to the proposed student residence complex at the southeast corner of Stone Road and Gordon Street. As residents on nearby Colborn Street, we are gravely concerned about the impact this residence complex will have on our surrounding neighbourhood. The sheer size and magnitude of this project is simply too large for that particular intersection. A high-rise structure would stand far taller than any nearby structure and would be seen from every yard in the neighbourhood. The proposed number of residents in this complex would grossly increase the amount of noise and foot traffic in our area, as well as increase the incidents of littering, partying and illicit use of alcohol and marijuana in nearby Mayfield Park. Also, the proposed number of parking spaces seems woefully inadequate for the number of residents in the complex, which would mean more illegal parking along our streets.
The entrance to Mayfield Park at the corner of Mayfield Avenue and Colborn Street is a popular place for students to park their cars and walk to campus on a daily basis, blatantly ignoring the 2 hour parking limit that is posted there. These parked cars often prevent the road from being cleared of snow in the winter, and the drivers of these cars often leave litter on our property or block our driveway. The 2 hour parking zone is intended for nearby residents who wish to access Mayfield Park, NOT as a free parking lot for University of Guelph students. We have phoned the City of Guelph By-Law Compliance and Enforcement Office on a daily basis over the last few months to report these cars, but few are ever deterred from parking there. We have spoken to Doug Godfrey, Supervisor of Parking Regulation and Enforcement, personally regarding this matter and was told that while they would do their best to monitor the area more closely, the By-Law officers were already overwhelmed with complaints all over the city. Adding 1500 more student residents around the corner will only make this by-law nightmare even worse.
We are a family-oriented neighbourhood that strives to create a safe, clean haven for our children and grandchildren. Please look beyond the financial incentives of this proposal and keep our wonderful neighbourhood from turning into just another student ghetto in another university town – we both lived in Waterloo as the nearby university neighbourhoods were overtaken by student housing. We ask that the city not re-designate this site from ‘General Residential’ to ‘High Density Residential’ nor increase the allowable units per hectare for ‘High Density Residential areas’.TM