After a three hour-long debate at Waterloo City Hall, councillors decided to move forward with land use changes to allow the development of a 89-unit condo development at 115-117 Erb St. W.

Council voted 6-1 in favour of the development, with all but Coun. Mark Whaley in approval. Mayor Dave Jaworsky sat out of the meeting due to a conflict of interest.

Lee Kieswetter of Erb Street Developments Inc. is the owner and developer of 115 and 117 Erb St. E., and submitted an application to rezone the current land from GR1 and MR-4 to MR-12 and MR-6.

The zone change facilitates the building of an apartment building, which would contain 89 units with 12 storeys on one side, and six on the side facing Erb Street. The building was originally proposed at 93 units, but the developer decided to convert some units into three-bedroom spaces.

Residents who live on Moore Avenue, which intersects with Erb Street where the apartment would be located, voiced concerns with the development, as well as many from the nearby Waterpark condominium development.

While numerous delegates voiced concerns about noise, fit with the neighbourhood, drainage and traffic, most of council was confident those issues — if they are still issues — will be dealt with by city staff at the site plan stage.

The main concern of all delegates at the deferred official public meeting was drainage. Many neighbours, including Dominic Bellissimo, said backyard flooding is a regular occurrence in that area. But according to Heather Price of GSP Group, the drainage plan will improve the area.

Currently, according to studies, 14 per cent of the runoff drains to Erb Street, with the remaining 86 per cent staying on the thin parcel of land and surrounding properties. Once the development is built and wastewater is tied into the municipal system, she said, 80 per cent of the runoff will go into the sewer system.

A hydrogeological study was complete and approved by the Region of Waterloo, but it was not requested by the Grand River Conservation Authority. City staff believe it will be requested by the GRCA at the site plan approval process.

While many attending the meeting were opposed to the development, Ken Diebel, an executive member of St. John's Lutheran Church, which previously owned part of the subject property, was in favour of the development. He spoke in a pointed nature toward residents of the Waterpark Place residents who were against the project.