To: City of London Planning & Development, City Council, and Local Representatives

We, the undersigned residents and concerned community members, strongly oppose the proposed 10-storey apartment building at 801 Sarnia Road due to its significant negative impact on our neighborhood, safety, traffic, infrastructure, and quality of life.

 
Why We Are Concerned

🏗️ 1. Out of Scale with the Neighborhood
This development is twice as tall as surrounding buildings, setting a dangerous precedent for future high-rise expansion in an area that was not designed for this level of intensification. The London Plan typically allows up to 6 storeys for this area, yet the developer is seeking an exception with no adequate justification.

🚦 2. Traffic Congestion & Emergency Access Risks
Sarnia Road is already a congested single arterial road, with no alternative routes, and this development will significantly worsen congestion:

• 182 units will add hundreds of additional vehicle trips daily.
  peopleCare Oakcrossing Long-Term Care Facility, directly across from the site, relies on fast ambulance access, which could be compromised by increased congestion.
• There are no traffic lights or additional road expansions planned, meaning traffic flow will suffer.

🚘 3. Not Enough Parking – Overflow Will Impact Nearby Residents
The proposed apartment only includes 91 parking spaces for 182 units, meaning:

• Overflow parking will spill onto surrounding streets, leading to illegal parking, congestion, and reduced accessibility.
• The long-term care home’s parking lot may be affected, as visitors and residents from the new development seek alternative parking.
• The plan does not account for visitor parking, meaning even more strain on the surrounding area.

🚄 4. Rail Safety & Emergency Preparedness
This development sits too close to an active railway, raising concerns about safety and emergency planning:

• Heavy freight trains already cause vibrations that shake houses in the vicinity. A high-rise building so close to the rail line could exacerbate structural concerns.
• Rail accidents (derailments, hazardous spills) remain a risk, yet the emergency response plan fails to address potential evacuation routes or containment measures for such an incident.

🌧️ 5. Lack of Drainage & Stormwater Management Studies
This development sits on a sloped area near the railway, meaning drainage and stormwater runoff are critical concerns. The Stormwater Management Report fails to fully assess:

• The risk of water pooling near the rail corridor, which could destabilize the area over time.
• The impact of major storms, which are increasing in frequency and intensity.
• Whether existing drainage infrastructure is sufficient to handle additional runoff.

🌳 6. Drastic Reduction in Landscaped Open Space
The developer is seeking an exemption to reduce green space from 30% to just 17%, claiming that previously dedicated parkland makes up for this shortfall. However:

• Less green space means less privacy for adjacent homeowners.
• There is no buffer between the apartment and the railway, raising further safety and livability concerns.
• Future residents will have inadequate outdoor recreational space, reducing quality of life.

🌬️ 7. Lack of Wind Study & Overshadowing
Tall buildings often cause wind tunnel effects, which can:

• Make sidewalks unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.
  Affect adjacent properties by channeling strong gusts toward existing homes.
• Increase snow accumulation issues, particularly in an area where the landscape naturally directs airflow.
• No wind impact study has been conducted, meaning the full effects are unknown.

🔊 8. Noise, Construction & Long-Term Disruptions
The Noise & Vibration Report only considers how new residents will experience train noise, ignoring the existing community’s experience:

• Homes in the area already shake from passing trains—construction and additional long-term building vibrations could make this worse.
• Construction noise and dust will last for months or years, affecting nearby homes and businesses.
• The long-term care home will suffer from increased noise, construction activity, and traffic disruptions—directly affecting vulnerable seniors.

🏥 9. Direct Impact on Long-Term Care Residents
The peopleCare Oakcrossing Long-Term Care Facility is directly across from the proposed development, meaning:

• Increased congestion could delay ambulances, affecting medical response times.
• Elderly residents, who require quiet, will face months of disruptive construction noise.
• Post-construction, more traffic, deliveries, and increased daily activity could permanently alter the calm, stable environment seniors rely on.

📑 10. Missing or Insufficient Studies
Key studies that should be mandatory before approving a high-rise in this location have not been conducted or are incomplete:

1. Wind Impact Study – Required to assess pedestrian safety, potential gust effects, and snow accumulation.
2. Updated Drainage & Stormwater Study – To determine how additional development affects runoff near the railway and surrounding properties.
3. Structural & Geotechnical Study – To evaluate the long-term impacts of vibrations from trains combined with a new high-rise foundation in a sloped area.
4. Traffic Impact Assessment with Localized Data – The current study does not fully account for emergency vehicle delays, peak-hour congestion, or overflow parking concerns.
    

📢 Our Demands to the City of London
We call on City Council and the Planning & Development Committee to:

• ✅ Reject the 10-storey height proposal and enforce a maximum of 6 storeys to maintain neighborhood character.
• ✅ Require proper traffic and parking assessments to prevent overspill into nearby streets and long-term care parking.
• ✅ Ensure a full emergency preparedness plan that includes potential railway incidents and emergency access.
• ✅ Mandate a wind study to assess safety risks related to high-rise winds and potential structural concerns.
• ✅ Maintain at least 30% landscaped open space to ensure a buffer between the development, existing homes, and the railway.
• ✅ Guarantee protection for long-term care residents, minimizing disruptions and ensuring safe access for emergency vehicles.
• ✅ Require a reassessment of stormwater and infrastructure impacts to prevent long-term damage.

Please Sign This Petition to Protect Our Community!
By signing this petition, you are demanding responsible urban planning that respects our safety, infrastructure, and neighborhood character.

City Council must listen to residents before making permanent zoning changes that negatively impact our community.

👉 SIGN NOW & SHARE WITH NEIGHBORS!

Together, we can protect our community from overdevelopment and ensure responsible city planning!