County Fair Plaza plan moved to March 24 meeting

Hamilton officials and New Horizon Development Group will hold at least one mediation session regarding an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal by the developers of a “massive” condominium development at the County Fair Plaza on the Mountain.

Patrick Harrington, a lawyer with Aird and Berlis LLP, representing New Horizon, said during a Nov. 15 Wednesday’s tribunal case management conference that at least one mediation session with the city will be held to resolve the number of issues involving the appeal. The tribunal agreed to schedule a second case management conference for March 19, 2024, to “better understand” the issues.

Patrick MacDonald, the city’s solicitor, said there are a “number of issues” of interest by Hamilton that will have to be addressed.

The owners appealed the application to the tribunal for a lack of decision by the city and council. An appeal to the tribunal can be made if the municipality fails to give its decision regarding the plan within 120 days of the receipt of a complete application.

Sarah Bobka, the member overseeing the tribunal conference, agreed to designate 15 residents as participants for a future hearing.

A number of east Mountain residents who live near the Upper Sherman Avenue and Mohawk Road East development are opposed to the proposal, calling it “massive” and saying it will contribute to increased traffic and parking problems. The plan includes 1,995 residential units in a variety of structures on the nearly four-hectare property, including two 25-storey buildings, a 20-storey structure, two 15-storey buildings, one 13-storey building, two eight-storey structures and seven three-storey stacked townhouses.

There is also projected to be four levels of underground parking, more than 1,000 bike parking spaces and green areas within the developed area.

The idea, says the owner, is for the entire development to be condominiums, with no retail space.

“People are not understanding the gravity of this development,” Angelo Mosca Jr., who lives in the neighbourhood where the development is proposed, said in an interview. “It is huge.”

New Horizon Development Group purchased the County Fair Plaza property in 2021.

A number of east Mountain residents who live near the Upper Sherman Avenue and Mohawk Road East development are opposed to the proposal