A 101-unit stacked townhouse project in Mississauga's Cooksville neighbourhood has been voted down.

The project, which was proposed by Plazacorp Properties Limited for Argyle Road south of Dundas Street West, would replace three existing detached dwellings with four-storey structures and a potential population of around 300 people.

Mississauga's planning and development committee members voted Feb. 24 8-1 to reject city's staff recommendation to conditionally approve the townhouse proposal.

The development is in Ward 7, and local Councillor Dipika Damerla said the intensity of the development was too much for the street, especially considering other nearby developments.

She said she would be more inclined to support the proposal if it had 80 or fewer units.

"My ask of council is if this was your street, your ward, vote in that fashion," Damerla said. "Just (have) some empathy for the folks and ask the questions, what is fair?"

Several residents spoke against the proposed development at the meeting, citing potential traffic safety concerns, and perceived problems with the planning process among other issues.

Ward 5 Coun. Carolyn Parrish was the lone vote in favour of the proposal and said in the face of housing shortfalls in the city, it was “foolish” to vote down the proposal against the advice of city staff.

“I don't like seeing little kids four to a bedroom living in a dirty basement because we don't have enough housing that's clean, safe and affordable,” she said.