Land & Development Conference 2013

Leor Margulies moderated a fascinating panel at the Land and Development Conference on May 28, 2013 at the Metro Convention Centre with three well-respected developers, one very senior They were: Bob Blazevski, VP, Diamond Corporation, Jeffrey Davies, Lawyer, Howe Partners LLP, Stephen Deveaux, VP of Land Development, Tribute Communities and Joe Mihevc, City Councillor, CIty of Toronto, Ward 21 St. Paul’s West.municipal lawyer and a seasoned City of Toronto counsellor rounding out the panel.

Jeff Davies opened up the discussion and described the four types of NIMBY ratepayer groups and the approaches to take with them:  (a) the harmonious negotiating group; (b) the group fixated on numbers; (c) the group focused on getting something out of the deal,  i.e. legal bribery; and (d) the group not interested in compromises.  Adjust your strategy accordingly.

Bob Blazevski from DiamondCorp (formerly of Minto) talked about the fascinating breakthrough high-rise project at Yonge and Eglinton 10 years ago involving two condominiums with over 50 stories, a height which had never been built before in that area.  It succeeded in the face of 17 ratepayer groups as well as a very difficult counsellor, Michael Walker.  However, it was also a time of a strong city Council and a strong mayor that were able to overcome ratepayer and individual counsellor objections.

Shelley Fenton of Reserve Properties talked about the compromise approach of working with the local city counsellor, in this case Joe Mihevc regarding the RISE Condominium Project. The site at Bathurst and St. Clair on the south east corner cried out for the development of at least 30 stories, it being on a major intersection and above a subway station.  On the northwest corners of the same location, buildings of 25 stories had already been built.  Local ratepayers and Joe were seeking a building of 19 stories and the builder sought one of 25.  After months of negotiations, Reserve ended up with a compromise at 21/20 stories plus, including the 22nd floor being the second level of a two level condominium unit (except for an unnecessary 4-day OMB hearing due to an unsuccessful appeal form from Toronto Mayor John Sewell).

Steve Deveaux from Tribute addressed another hotly contested development at Avenue Road north of Lawrence.  This was the eight storey project with Riocan which had received tremendous ratepayer objections who were concerned about traffic etc.  In the end, none of these objections were successful in stopping the project which has turned out to be positive for the community as well as the individual owners.

Our last speaker was Joe Mihevc, a 17 year veteran at City Council.  He gave the audience some very cogent advice about working with the local counsellor and the city planner right up front.  He also addressed a problem facing many developers dealing with the many rookie counsellors on the current Council.  He suggested that a developer can best get through to a rookie counsellor by befriending an experienced counsellor who had the ear of the rookie counsellor and make your case that way.