Town of Oakville Committee of Adjustment Meeting

The Town of Oakville Committee of Adjustment considered residential, commercial and downtown development applications. It refused the revised variance request for 1562 Venicia Drive after members raised concerns about the proposed dwelling's massing and compatibility with the neighbourhood. The committee approved applications for homes at 177 Woodhaven Park Drive and 1247 Crawford Court, a Circle K car-wash redevelopment at Spears Road and Third Line, and an eight-unit building at 160 Trafalgar Road. An application concerning 82nd Street was deferred.

The committee also reviewed public appeal restrictions under Ontario's More Homes Built Faster Act, known as Bill 23.

Topics Discussed

PUBLIC APPEAL RIGHTS

The hearing materials state that Bill 23 removed appeal rights for members of the public from Committee of Adjustment decisions to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Appeals may be filed by the applicant, specified persons or public bodies.

Residents seeking formal notice of a decision must submit a written request to the Secretary-Treasurer. People wishing to speak at a hearing must register with staff and may speak for up to five minutes.

1562 VENICIA DRIVE: VARIANCE REFUSED

The committee voted 3–1 to refuse Application 054 of 2026 for a proposed residential dwelling at 1562 Venicia Drive. The application sought a residential floor-area ratio of 39.3%, above the 37% zoning maximum, as well as an interior side-yard setback variance related to an easement.

Applicant representative Alexander Merritt said the revised design reduced the dwelling's depth, second-storey mass above the garage, ceiling and roof height, floor area and lot coverage. He said the revisions reduced the dwelling by about 20 square metres.

Planner Hassan said the changes were not substantial: "When you hold them up side by side, the dwellings essentially look the exact same. So there was no substantive changes that staff could see."

Committee member Hardcastle opposed the application, citing the building's side-yard massing and its relationship to the surrounding homes. He said:

"I feel as if the massing in the sideyard are contributing to a building that is not consistent with the neighborhood and has a mass that is not appropriate."

Hardcastle moved to refuse the application, stating that it did not conform to the general intent and purpose of the zoning bylaw. Member Dickey voted against the refusal, saying the design changes addressed the dwelling's scale and accommodated the easement.

APPROVED RESIDENTIAL APPLICATIONS

The committee unanimously approved Application 127 of 2026 for a two-storey replacement home at 177 Woodhaven Park Drive. The approval permits lot coverage of 28.91%, above the 25% zoning limit, and a parapet wall 0.662 metres above the maximum roof height. Staff said the parapet was a limited architectural feature that would not create an undue streetscape impact.

The committee also unanimously approved Application 129 for a new home at 1247 Crawford Court. Member Towski declared a conflict and recused himself. The variances allow a 7.5-metre front-yard setback, compared with a neighbourhood average of 9.89 metres, and a building height of 9.3 metres, compared with the permitted nine metres. An adjacent neighbour withdrew an earlier objection after discussing the design with the owner.

CIRCLE K REDEVELOPMENT

The committee unanimously approved Application 128 of 2026 for the Circle K site at the southwest corner of Spears Road and Third Line.

The existing store and gas-station canopy will remain. The existing car wash will be demolished and rebuilt, with additional vehicle stacking and queuing areas and an open-air canopy over drive-through payment kiosks.

The rear-yard setback for the canopy will be reduced from 7.5 metres to 3.5 metres. Planner Chris Pereira described the proposal as follows:

"The proposal seeks to redevelop the subject lands by rebuilding a new car wash building generally in its current location. The site design expands into the empty southern portion of the lands to accommodate the stacking and queuing lanes."

Pereira said the canopy would be lower than the car wash and would not create undue massing or scale impacts. Landscaping and stormwater measures are planned along the property boundary. The approval requires the work to follow the approved site plan and a building permit to be obtained within two years.

160 TRAFALGAR ROAD: EIGHT-UNIT DEVELOPMENT

The committee unanimously approved Application 131 of 2026 for an eight-unit, four-storey residential building on a vacant lot at 160 Trafalgar Road. The proposal requires 13 minor variances under Section 45(1) of the Planning Act and abuts three-storey townhouses on Dunn Street.

The proposal replaces an approved underground parking ramp with an enclosed car elevator. The elevator will be 0.94 metres from the rear property line, compared with the 0.75-metre setback permitted for the previously approved ramp. The development was reduced from 11 units to eight.

Residents raised questions about construction near a shared driveway, fencing and a retaining wall. The applicant said those issues would be addressed through discussions with neighbours. Pre- and post-construction surveys and structural monitoring during excavation and construction will be required through the building-permit process.

Two written objections, from Jed James and Roger Newell, were entered into the record. Resident Chris Kurthers said neighbours had no objection at the time of the hearing. Member Towski moved to approve the application, saying the 13 variances were "very minor in nature" and did not appear to create an impact.

Motions

• Application 054 of 2026 — 1562 Venicia Drive: Variances refused. Passed, 3–1.
• 82nd Street application: Deferred to allow the applicant to address inconsistencies and questions with town planning staff and Heritage.
• Application 127 of 2026 — 177 Woodhaven Park Drive: Height and lot-coverage variances approved, subject to the approved plans and a two-year building-permit condition. Passed unanimously.
• Application 128 of 2026 — Circle K, Spears Road and Third Line: Rear-yard setback variance approved, subject to the site plan and a two-year building-permit condition. Passed unanimously.
• Application 129 of 2026 — 1247 Crawford Court: Front-yard setback and building-height variances approved, subject to the approved plans and a two-year building-permit condition. Passed unanimously, with Mr. Towski recused.
• Application 131 of 2026 — 160 Trafalgar Road: Thirteen minor variances approved for the eight-unit building, subject to the approved site plan, elevations and a two-year building-permit condition. Passed unanimously.

Attendees

The materials identify the following committee members as present or participating:

• Mr. Hardcastle
• Mr. Dickey/Dicki
• Miss Price
• Mr. Towski — present but recused from the 1247 Crawford Court application
• Mr. Tleski

Other participants named in the hearing materials included planners Hassan and Anna Wein, staff member Miss Mcnite, and applicants or representatives Alexander Merritt, William Hicks, Joel Tanner, Chris Pereira, Steven Hunt and Chris Kurthers.