Residents oppose parking lot zoning change

Dollard des Ormeaux will go back to the drawing board in its plans to provide the Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (AMT) with land to build an additional parking lot for the Sunnybrooke train station on Gouin Boulevard, Mayor Ed Janiszewski told The Chronicle last week.

On Aug. 10, 70 residents worried about raised levels of noise, light, and insecurity signed a register opposing a zoning change for an empty lot located on Sunnybrooke Boulevard, between Ceres Street and the Canadian National Railway (CNR), which would have allowed the AMT to build a new parking lot to accommodate an additional 80 to 85 more cars. The land in question is currently zoned residential.

With 23 more signatures than the 47 required to put a halt to the rezoning, city council must now decide to either withdraw the zoning change or let the matter go to a referendum.

Janiszewski, however, said referendums are expensive and often difficult to win.

“They already voted against the change by signing the register. It’s difficult to get them to vote for something they’ve already voted against,” he said, adding the city will be appealing to the AMT and the provincial government to find other options that would allow them to build a new parking lot.

Dollard resident Desmond Yu, whose property backs directly on to the empty lot in question, says a parking lot built that close to residential homes will cause more bad than good.

“A parking lot is going to cause a lot of noise and light,” Yu said, adding these worries, as well as home security and safety concerns, are shared by many of his neighbours. “It’s a matter of lifestyle. It would affect the way we live.”

Janiszewski said additional parking space is needed at Sunnybrooke to promote public transportation in the area.

“By the time people take the 8:10 a.m. train, there’s no parking left,” he said. “(More parking) would mean 80 cars less on (Highway 40).”

However, opinions on the lack — or abundance — of parking at Sunnybrooke seem to vary.

“There’s enough parking. I’ve never had any trouble finding a spot,” said Pierrefonds resident Noureddine Bziouet while waiting for the 2:13 p.m. train last Thursday.

Desmond Yu said he drives by the parking lot on a daily basis and always sees open spaces.

But commuters like Corinne Wilkinson of Pierrefonds disagree. “I find it a bit crowded,” she said. “Especially in the morning.”

Dollard will have until the next city council meeting on Sept. 11 to announce whether or not the zoning change will go to a referendum. Either way, Janiszewski said the municipality will not let go of the issue.

“What I find difficult to understand is that people would not say, I should put up with something to help public transport,” he said. “We feel that when you try to do something good, you don’t quit.”