Bracebridge council has approved a new infill housing development on Maple Street that will add 13 residential units to an established neighbourhood, despite concerns raised by several nearby residents.
The decision followed a planning and development committee meeting where the proposal was endorsed before being ratified by council oearlier this month.
Property owner Akram Hanna told committee he intends to begin construction this summer on 12 semi-detached units. He said the development will meet required front and rear yard setbacks and provide adequate on-site parking for residents, with additional on-street spaces available for visitors.
Hanna said the driveway entrance will be widened to ensure proper fire route access and accommodate garbage collection. Snow removal and snow storage will be managed on-site. He added the project would diversify local housing options and aligns with the Town of Bracebridge’s planning policies and recommendations.
However, multiple residents voiced opposition, citing concerns about density, environmental impacts and neighbourhood character.
Sandra Rachky, who lives on Pinewood Drive and whose backyard borders the subject property, said she chose the area for its quiet atmosphere, mature trees and wildlife. She questioned the impact of placing 13 units — potentially housing up to 55 people — on approximately 1.5 acres.
Her concerns included increased noise, loss of privacy, tree removal, reduced sunlight and added pressure on sump pumps during the spring thaw, potentially increasing the risk of basement flooding.
Deb Garbutt of Sherwood Drive raised parking and safety concerns, noting there are no sidewalks in the neighbourhood and additional street parking could pose risks to children. Garbutt said the potential removal of hundreds of trees would increase stormwater runoff, reduce privacy and raise summer temperatures. She urged committee not to defer concerns to the site plan stage and instead reject the application.
Paul Toporowski, also of Sherwood Drive, told council he had collected 24 signatures on a petition opposing the development.
This is an old neighbourhood and I’m not sure why we are changing it, he said, asking council to consider the voices of those who signed the petition.
Town planning staff clarified that at the zoning stage, council’s role is to establish permitted housing type, setbacks, height and lot coverage. Detailed technical matters — including stormwater management, drainage, parking design and fire routes — are reviewed during the site plan approval process.
Staff noted that proposals often evolve between zoning approval and final site plan approval as technical studies are completed to ensure compliance with provincial standards, particularly around stormwater management and safe site access.
During the council meeting, Coun. Andrew Struthers acknowledged receiving numerous phone calls and comments following the planning committee meeting and said the town is seeing an increase in infill development applications.
“We have a mandate to provide housing to the people of Bracebridge,” Struthers said.
Mayor Rick Maloney said recent changes to provincial planning policy have created additional challenges for municipalities.
“There have been many changes in provincial directions of planning and it can be difficult to understand those mandates and changes,” he said.
Coun. Don Smith said those provincial changes have limited council’s discretion.
“The challenge we have is that we’ve been given very specific guidelines to move in by the province,” he said. “In the past we might have reacted differently but we’re not able to take that same route because of those guiderails.”
Coun. Barb McMurray suggested the town should communicate with Doug Ford regarding how provincial housing directives intersect with northern Ontario climate realities. She noted communities like Bracebridge face distinct challenges with snow storage and garbage management that may not be fully reflected in provincial policy and suggested staff prepare correspondence to the premier.
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Council should get a spine and stand up to the Province. This is just another Toronto style development. Council has approved 10 story buildings for Bracebridge. Houses behind houses triplexes on every lot (can convert) and rooming houses on every lot. Is this all to satisfy the population influx for temporary foreign workers and massive population growth caused by federal government mass immigration. policies? Muskoka Residence should just say we don’t want a part of this
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Build an apartment/condo complex with underground parking right in the middle of the lot. That way trees can be left and people will have places to live, there would be lots of land for snow to melt away on and the actual foot print of the building wouldn’t be too big. People need places to live and our town council has a duty to facilitate acceptable housing developments.