Flood risk too great to allow McDonald’s to open in northeast London

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The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority will meet on Tuesday to decide the fate of a proposed shopping center and McDonald’s restaurant in one of the city’s most flood-prone areas. LFP’s Jack Moulton explains why officials are warning against construction.

WHAT’S ON THE TABLE?

A Section 28 permit application for 1310 Adelaide St has been submitted to the Upper Thames debate. N. and 795 Windermere Rd. in north-east London from Royal Premier Homes, which will allow floodplain development regulated by environmental authorities.

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The proposed development calls for a two-tenant shopping center and a drive-thru McDonald’s. The land previously housed tennis courts and a GoodLife fitness center, as well as a vacant home that was damaged by fire and demolished in 2021.

WHAT IS THE MAIN THING?

Authority officials are recommending the application at the south-east corner of Adelaide and Windermere be refused, saying development along the Thames River floodplain “could jeopardize the health and safety of people or result in damage or destruction of property”. »

“The proposed development activity represents an intensification of use of the site as a whole where safe access cannot be provided during a regulatory storm,” the staff report states.

The development site is designed to rise above the regulatory flood height standard and includes perimeter drainage channels that will channel water onto lands to the south that are owned by the Upper Thames and managed by the City of London under the floodplain acquisition programme. .

“Staff do not support such proposed actions on their lands to facilitate private development on adjacent properties,” the report adds, saying that despite the developer’s flood mitigation efforts, the risk is still too high.

HAS THIS AREA BEEN FILLED BEFORE?

In its report, Upper Thames notes that the area has flooded multiple times, showing photographs of the area around the intersection being completely submerged in water in 1963, 2008 and most recently in 2018.

“This area is a high flood risk area along the North Thames River, which regularly experiences flooding causing road closures and/or damage to private property,” the staff report said.

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HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

The application was ultimately approved by the City Council by a 10-5 vote in February, despite calls from City Hall staff to reject it. An amendment was made to allow only two commercial properties plus a fast food restaurant, down from four previously. Upper Thames staff note this policy approval in their report along with their previous objections.

The city’s commercial zone application has been in the works since 2016, even changing ownership during the process, but some city council members have expressed concerns about the possibility of more frequent and severe flooding amid climate change.

“I do think it’s our job as a council to approve reasonable development applications,” Cone. Skylar Franke said at the time. “Personally, I cannot say with a straight face that approving a McDonald’s in a floodplain is a good planning decision.”

WHAT DO THE DEVELOPER AND NEIGHBORS THINK?

When the application went before the council’s planning committee, a spokesman for the developer said the site could be essentially “flood-proof”, able to remain “high and dry” during a once-in-200-year flood.

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Farhad Nouri, chief executive of Royal Premier Homes, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The developer reserves the right to appeal any refusal or approval with conditions to the Ontario Land Tribunal within 90 days.

Dan Windsor, owner of Tin Cup Golf and owner of the Waltzing Weasel restaurant on Windermere’s north side, across from the construction site, spoke out against the development at a Jan. 30 town hall meeting, acknowledging it would be a boon to his business. He even changed the Tin Cup sign, urging residents to call the mayor with their opposition.

“Any change in grade or additional paved areas on the proposed development site will exacerbate flooding and subsequent damage to the proposed site and our adjoining site,” he said.

Several residents have also written to the town council expressing concerns about vehicle traffic on the nearby Killally Trail.

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