Riverside plan to be a LEED-er
Wed Oct 01, 2008

By: By Keith Gilligan

AJAX -- A subdivision proposal along Riverside Drive will include at least one block of townhouses that will be built to LEED standards.

Marshall Homes is planning to construct 48 townhouses and four single-detached homes on Riverside at Birchmount Road. An existing home will also remain.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an environmentally friendly concept and about a dozen townhouses could be built under the program. The units would be built with water and energy-conservation methods, reduced water-runoff techniques and better indoor air quality.

The development would be for empty-nesters and units could sell for $300,000 to $400,000, said Ian McCullough of Marshall Homes.

Getting the LEED designation won't be easy, Mr. McCullough said.

"We're not sure how to get our points yet," he said. "It's very challenging. To do that whole site, it's really not that straightforward."

For the one block, "we're rolling up our sleeves and determining how to get our points."

There are only "a handful of houses" in North America with a LEED-designation and "this is the first townhouse block to be designated."

While only one block will be LEED-certified, "it doesn't preclude other units being brought up to that," said Town planner Geoff Romanowski.

The LEED designation is "very impressive. It's the first time a subdivision has come forward with a LEED designation," Wards 1 and 2 Regional Councillor Scott Crawford said.

Mr. Romanowski said other units could also be made "green" with upgrades.

Lesley Gazarek, a Bunting Court resident whose home backs onto the site, had a "concern about the density."

Homes adjacent to the site are one- and two-acre lots, she said.

"I'm not opposed to the development. We always knew it would happen. We weren't prepared for this high density in this area," she said.

Ms. Gazarek also questioned how long construction would last. "It's very disturbing listening to construction noise."

Under the rules, the development could have had up to 130 units, Mr. McCullough said. "We're barely making our density."

As for construction, "we want to start as quickly as possible. We'd like to be out in 12 months. Predicting the market we're not sure where it will be."

The hope is to have the sewers in by Christmas with housing construction to start in early 2009. Buyers could be moving in by next summer, he said.

The density is "appropriate," Mayor Steve Parish said, pointing to a provincial initiative to have more intense developments.

"This is a significant development in terms of LEED certification. It's the will of this council to see a high standard of environmental design. This is a significant development in that regard," the mayor said.