Let's-Make-a-Deal planning ripped
By ROB GRANATSTEIN, CITY HALL BUREAU
Developers with friends at City Hall are getting preferential treatment, Jane Pitfield claims, and if she is mayor that would change.
At a limp discussion about urban planning last night, Pitfield pointed to the Four Seasons Hotel development set for Yorkville as an example of the rules being bent to allow pals of City Hall to get extra height on their buildings.
"There's still some 'Let's Make a Deal' planning taking place," said Pitfield, who is gunning for Mayor David Miller. "We've seen evidence of certain back room deals."
Neighbours complained the new five-star, $500-million Four Seasons hotel and condo project, at 46 and 30 storeys, would shadow homes and a playground.
But city council approved the buildings at Bay St. and Yorkville Ave., far bigger than the city's official plan allows.
As part of the deal, the school will get $2.1 million from the developer to move its playground to alleviate some of the shadow issues.
"We need rules based planning," Pitfield told 100 onlookers at Upper Canada College last night. "Only if it's precedent setting should it need to go to city council."
Pitfield attacked Miller for backing the Minto Towers, 51 and 38 storey condos, south of Eglinton Ave. on Yonge St.
But Miller said Yonge and Eglinton is where development should be taking place, with excellent transportation.
"The official plan has to be adhered to when it sets out a process or place for intensification," Miller said. "One of them is Yonge and Eglinton."
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