It took only about 35 minutes to determine at a public meeting that nobody who purchased a condominium unit in a residential development on John Fredrick Drive in Ancaster wanted gates installed to their community.

Over 60 people attended a public meeting June 7 at Ancaster’s Old Town Hall to decide if they wanted three gates installed around their 52-semi-detached condominium development, called Augusta Ancaster Glen, which is still under construction just off Garner Road.

After a presentation by Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson, who delayed the draft plan for the condominium development and proposed the installation of gates, and from Lorraine Roberts, senior project manager for Losani Homes, the residents quickly put their hands up signalling they were against the gates. People then rushed out of the facility.

Ferguson repeatedly said it was their decision if they wanted the gates.

“If you don’t want them, it won’t be done. It’s that simple,” he said.

Tara Bolstad, an OPP officer, said at the meeting if she had known gates would have been installed, she wouldn’t have purchased her condo unit. As an officer, she needs to attend to emergency incidents in a hurry and a gate, especially if there is a power outage, would have prevented her from reaching her destination.

Roberts said if the city did “impose” the requirement to install gates for the development, residents’ condo fees will shoot up from the current $42 per month to $119 per month. The cost includes maintenance, hydro and snow removal. But Losani Homes, she said, would also have to expropriate about 3,500 square feet of land from the 20 lots that would be impacted to build the gates. There would also be the loss of 23 parking spots, said Roberts. Losani officials said the cost for installing the gates was estimated to be from $500,000 to $1 million, which would include underground electrical systems, dedicated transformer and the roads would have to be reconstructed.

“The imposition of the gates is unfair and inappropriate to all of you,” said Roberts.

She said city staff had already approved the site condition for the condominium development. The additional requirement on the project is “outside the realm of the already approved site plan,” she said, and would impact the residents’ purchase agreements for their units.

The construction of the condo project was already well underway when council discussed the draft plan for the development. The condo project is different than the rest of the Losani Homes development because it is identified as a “common element” freehold homes and lots, with a restrictive condominium presence and lower common charges. As a private development and road, it would receive minimal city services such as snow plowing.