Infill development has residents buzzing in Ward 8

We've done everything community council expected us to do: Li Preti

With only a week to go before the election, the gloves are off in the fight for a council seat in York West (Ward 8). Incumbent Councillor Peter Li Preti is accusing his challenger of misleading the public about a controversial new development.
Although a relatively small parcel of land (formerly known as the Bonanza Plaza), residents were outraged when developers put forth a plan in 2005 that would eliminate all existing retail space and replace it with residential units. Li Preti claims that along with local community groups, he helped amend the plan to include a 6,200 square foot supermarket. But Li Preti's main challenger in the municipal election, Anthony Perruzza insists the retail space allotted is comparable to that of a convenience store, and residents weren't properly consulted.
Naturally, Councillor Li Preti disagrees, insisting any new residences will be built only after the supermarket has been completed first, and that fewer habitats will be erected than original planned.
It's the latest dispute to arise between the two, who are squaring off against each other for the third straight municipal election. Perruzza, formerly the area's councillor from 1988 to 1990 (before being elected to Queen's Park as an NDP candidate) is accusing his opponent of turning his back on constituents and supporting the developers' application. Li Preti claims Perruzza is misinformed about the development (which was approved by the OMB and not city hall) and attempting to confuse voters about what will be built at the intersection of Sentinel and Hucknall roads.
A supermarket used to be there, but was torn down about three years ago and the lot has remained empty ever since as community groups, city hall and developers debated proposed developments. Seniors in the area have long complained about a lack of retail options in the neighbourhood, which is why Li Preti says he insisted a new supermarket be built first.
"I negotiated what the community wanted. We've done everything community council wanted us and expected us to do," said Li Preti, who has given his consent to the new plans, although the developers ultimately bypassed city hall and opted for approval from the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).
Li Preti adds the developer originally asked for 72 residential units to be included in the plan but has since reduced that number to 48 (ten of which are to be town homes) and included enough space for parking and a 6,200 square-foot mini-supermarket. "This is unprecedented in North York. The (developers) almost always take more, not less," said Li Preti. "I don't know where (Perruzza) got his info from. We're talking about the equivalent of about ten stores on St. Clair."
The new supermarket's owner, Maurizio Lucchese, disagrees with Perruzza that the new store will be as small as a convenience store. "Most Rabba stores are half our size and we'd like to get another couple thousand square feet of space if possible," said Lucchese, adding he's already hired a pharmacist to work within the new supermarket.
Lucchese has operated a Food Cents supermarket store at a nearby location for the past five years and has been eyeing a move into Hucknall-Sentinel area since the previous building was demolished. "We're looking to solidify our position in the neighbourhood," said Lucchese, adding many residents feel landlocked and are unable to reach other retail centres without a car. "South of Finch there's nothing commercial there and Finch Avenue seems to act as a kind of 'geographic barrier.'"
Lucchese confirmed the Ontario Municipal Board approved the plan in August and called it a "win-win" situation for all. He reiterated that the original plan called for absolutely zero retail stores and thanked the incumbent councillor for ensuring the needs of residents aren't ignored.
"Peter Li Preti fought them on that. The reality is those parcels of land weren't working and need to be re-jigged."

Publication Date: 2006-11-12
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=6772