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Rezoning for commercial use would be “an infringement of the rights of the people whose properties are adjacent to the site,” said longtime Glenora resident Noel Somerville.

Otto Capital previously applied to rezone the same lot in 2015 to allow for a multi-unit residential building, but nothing came of the project after the request to change the zoning was approved.

“I’m frustrated, because this exact lot was the subject of a rezoning in 2015,” said McKeen from city hall on Monday.

Others, including business owners in the area, expressed concern about traffic congestion and parking in the area, which they said will already be negatively impacted by the planned LRT.

“You will definitely affect not only the neighbourhood, but some of the business there as well,” said Santago Lopez, owner of nearby coffee shop The Columbian. “It’s really painful to see.”

A city report dismissed concerns for traffic congestion due to relatively small size of the area.

Not all residents are opposed, however. Johannes Lang, who grew up in Glenora and recently moved back into the neighbourhood, thinks the building is the right kind of development for the area.

“This is just a great, walkable, small development that I feel is a great opportunity for this community,” he said from city hall on Monday.

The proposed retail building was revised from three floors to two during the public consultation process, and would have included six vehicle and 11 bike parking stalls.