Council denies Dominion development as recommended by staff
January 30, 2026 at 4:34 AM
Developers looking to build a townhouse development on Dominion Road were warned when the project was presented to council back in November: without significant changes, it was unlikely to receive support.
On Monday, January 26, councillors followed through on that promise, supporting a staff recommendation to deny the application for zoning bylaw amendments that would have allowed the 31-unit build.
The owner, Nervily Ketheesan, did make alterations to the plan following the November public meeting, but they were clearly not enough to get either support from staff or council.
“My concerns have not changed with respect to the intensification at a level that is inappropriate for the site,” said Councillor Joan Christensen, adding the application contained a “lack of care and consideration to this community.”
At the November meeting, agents for the developer pitched a plan to build 23 townhouse units with 16 accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Afterwards they reduced the total unit count by removing eight ADUs from what was described as Block A.
However, a staff report pointed out those ADUs weren’t eliminated permanently.
“Planning staff note that ADUs are permitted as-of-right by the Planning Act. So there is (a) possibility that ADUs may be added back to Block A at some point in the future, subject to compliance with other provisions of the zoning bylaw, such as parking,” it said.
Several other changes were also included in the updated proposal, including removing the balconies and terraces from the rear of Building A, increasing the rear setback to five metres from 3.71, adding two accessible parking spots, and adding a rooftop patio on buildings B and C while implementing a stepped back appearance to the face of the fourth floor.
While the changes did reduce the number of site specific revisions the applicants were seeking, there still remained a lengthy list. These included requests for relief from various setback rules, building height requirements, density, and allowing back-to-back block townhouses as a permitted use.
Councillor Nick Dubanow noted it’s rare to have staff outright recommend denial of an application, and asked staff if they’d had discussions to find a solution.
Director of planning and development services Anamika Dilwaria told council that staff have made extensive efforts to find a compromise with the developers, but were unsuccessful.
Reconstruction of Fort Erie tennis courts to go ahead
Public engagement levels for official plan review worry some councillors
Splash pad for Douglastown could be built in next two years
About The Author
Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards is a longtime Niagara community journalist who has covered a variety of beats, including business, agriculture, the wine industry and politics. When not writing, there's a good chance he can be found at a baseball diamond or curling rink.
Stay Informed