The vacant land, which now contains an existing house and a chicken house that was constructed in the 1920s, is irregular in shape with a common access from Park Street, near Cross Street.

Both the current house and chicken structure will be demolished under the condominium plan.

Area residents, though, opposed the two-storey development, arguing it was too dense for the area, and it will be constructed on what they believed to be a flood plain. Syndenham Creek will back onto the development.

“The creek has overflowed in the past,” said Oliver Wesley-James, who lives on Cross Street. “People on Park Street have been flooded out.”

Jeff Racine, who lives on Cross Street, also opposed the development, saying homeowners in the area already have problems with occasional flooding. Other concerns he stated include the impact the development will have on his property and the surrounding neighbourhood. Both Mr. Racine and Mr. Wesley-James agreed the chicken coop, which was converted into houses sometime in the 1940s, is an “eyesore” and hope eventually it is demolished.

Also opposed to the development is Clair Sellens, who lives on Cross Street. Although he did not speak during the public meeting, in a letter Mr. Sellens stated he was concerned about the “ecological problems” associated with the development, more traffic issues, loss of privacyand accesstotheproperty.

Director of planning Paul Mallard acknowledged residents in the area live within the regulatory flood plain of the creek, but not directly on a floodplain.

City staff was confident the developer, Mike Valvasori, provided information that argued the development will be safe during a regulatory flood.

The Hamilton Conservation Authority has also reviewed the documents and determined the development conforms to its plan.