The owners of the property at the northeast corner of King Street East and Brook Road North first applied for approval to develop the property in 2014 and despite getting approval, never proceeded to build. But in April 2020, another application was made and has worked its way through planning with several changes. I reported on one version in August 2020 – see link below – but the final site plan was up for approval at the Committee of the Whole Council meeting on January 25. Council approved the application. Development will be in two phases with a gas bar and Tim Hortons in the first phase. The plan includes two spaces for Electrical Vehicle chargers and a second phase that includes a drive thru restaurant.
The site plan is shown below. It includes 98 new trees, 111 parking spaces and several bicycle racks.
Accessibility
“The proposed development has been designed to accommodate persons with mobility challenges and disabilities through a connected network of wider (1.8 m – 2.7 m) internal sidewalks, barrier-free curb ramps complete with tactile strips, dedicated painted pedestrian crosswalk, universal washrooms, rooms and spaces designed to accommodate turning radius requirements of wheelchairs, and a fire alarm system with mechanisms to assist visually impaired patrons in the event of fire. The Accessibility Advisory Committee was satisfied with the development plans.”
No changes are required to the Official Plan or zoning and no public meetings are planned.
Site Plan
Links
- Developer re-submits for East End Project – 4 August 2020
- Staff memo about King Brook Site Plan Application
Update
The above was officially approved at the regular council meeting on 1 Feb 2021
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I live in the east end of Cobourg. This is a busy intersection, including the transport trucks turning and this is a very poor location for this commercial development. I shake my head every time I see the huge double take out line at the drive through at Tim’s beside Foodland. Anyone concerned about climate change, pollution and littering should not support this development.
Heavy truck traffic ion this corner, occasionally I have to back up at a red light to allow trucks to turn from Brook into King.
Brook at that point should be widened.
One more item to note… this will be a welcome addition to the non-existent off-site food options for the students @ CCI, a Tim’s and a convenience store, they will be thrilled! TH will just have to manage the very high demand of foot traffic during the lunch rush period. Having teens at CCI, they couldn’t be happier. Now there needs to be a pizza option in “parcel B” of the design. As well, with the new 401 exit east of Division St, this will be a morning stop for cars before they hit the road. I’m all for it!
At the the last opportunity for public comment on this project I recommended that a bus stop with a pull-off for a bus headed west be included on the north side of King Street and on the south side for a bus headed east. Made enormous sense in support of better designed public transportation and in support of the patronage of the businesses on the site. It does not appear to have been included.
Having charging stations on the site is a small step forward but electric vehicle are not the Holy Grail of reducing environmental pollution. One third of the pollution and energy used over the life cycle of an automobile powered by añy type of fuel is produced in its’ creation and disposal.
The real solution to reducing our negative impact on the environment and therefore reducing our use of the automobile lies in growth and development policies that encourage the more efficient use of land within existing settlement boarders, more integrated human uses and more accessible and frequent public transportation.
Hopefully town staff and Council will find a way of adding a bus pull-off feature to the site.
We should be doing that on Queen st at Victoria Park as well for all those comers and goers to the beach
As you stated acquired in 2014 already Zoned Serviced and allowed under the Official Plan
It did have 3 entrances on Brook rd at 1 time but some how The Town or the County Blocked them up ??? No reasons ever give Now the owner had to reapply for entrances 1 st stall
I was aware of Then Macs Milk and their gas bar gave up left town so why the 6 yrs to develop
pre zoned commercial corner I can tell you it was not the Developer wanting to take this long.
In the mean time the Depalma Dr. Hotel is now 4 yrs in the works studied to death while
the new hotel in Port Hope was applied for approved, designed and in the ground and now 4 stories high in just 2 yrs . RED TAPE ??
” I can tell you it was not the Developer wanting to take this long.”
Tell us how you know this do you work in the planning department? Those of us who have been staring at least two old and wornout developers/real estate signs on that property are aware that the planning department has had a myriad of plans from various speculators, just not that many with real money who want to complete the deals.
But then the post did give you an opportunity to trot out tired whines about developers being right but nasty planning department!
Ben I can tell you that you are absolutely incorrect ! No Speculators Here — The same developer that acquired this property from the former Toms motel owner still owns it today . The Town has made them adjust their proposal every time the winds changed direction . There have been more drafted proposals submitted here at the towns changing recommendations than you would ever believe , only to request a new idea next wk .or another concern is raised .
Now if your really interested in Red Tape you should contact the Owners of the lands at the end of Depalma Dr. The New Holiday Inn I invite you to do so These people have owned this property for 25 yrs . Speculator s ? this reminds me of a old song from the 70s — 50 Ways to Loose Your Money — actually 50 Ways to leave your Lover
Bring it to NoBurg
Do you have a source on any of this stuff or is it all just hearsay?
I would echo that request Sandpiper – sources please. Also having been involved in the OMB hearing on the land at Strathy Rd if you are correct about the ownership of the lands they certainly didn’t have any problems bulldozing the Walmart proposal through at warp speed!
The main problem with developers is that they buy the land cheap because it not zoned for the intended use and then expect to get their way with their changes.
What’s the problem here the land has been zoned for ’employment purposes’ for twenty years. The site plan was approved three years ago it’s hard to believe that the planning department doesn’t know what it’s up to and why should they demand changes every five minutes as you allege if they are in compliance?
Your still wrong and you won’t check it out
6 yrs planning for a Tims on a property already zoned
4 yrs planning for a Hotel truth be know its 6 yrs as well
the first hotel group left town and built in Port Hope
looks fine to me, living to the east of Cobourg as long as it is not Browns running these Franchis
Did you really mean to say this? And who are the Browns; not those offspring of Mrs Brown and her boys?
411 directory lists 89 Browns in the K9A territory.
My mother was a Brown originally – but a white Brown to be precise.
There are two in the town already. What a shame for the downtown coffee establishments.
Susie-Q
There are 4 Tims in Town, all in the north central part of Cobourg. There are none in the East end. So for those in the East end, this will be a welcome addition.
That property was a bit of an eyesore so I guess anything is an improvement.
vacant property is an eyesore?
didn’t you hear Down town is closed the sign is in the window and there is no reliable parking in close proximity
The Human Bean is open.
Five Tim Hortons in a town population of around 19,000 ?
Maybe it’s part of the “tourist attraction” planning strategy or is it to give some of the young people jobs flipping burgers for minimum wage?
There’s very little other employment opportunities in the town/area for anyone.
True but an empty lot provides no jobs
Tim Hortons do not have the same customers as the downtown shops. Coffee downtown is for coffee lovers. Tims is for people that just want fat and sugar. Try drinking a Tims black. It is awful.
Plus the downtown coffee shop customers are often retirees who congregate, linger, reminisce and sip slowly and repeatedly over a relatively long session.
Grazing.
Whenever I read that term in a restaurant review, I always picture the diners putting their faces down into their food and biting it off with their teeth.
And the longtimers in Tims aren’t?
Yes, the grazing grounds for old fashion plain dough nutz. A Great Geezer pit stop, well protected by the presence of visiting cops.
They know from their own experience and habits Ben! Chewing their cud and reminiscing. Kind of funny but they are both retired.
Perhaps the Tim Horton employees should try yelling “Cooboss, cooboss” when they open – could really pick up business since many of the downtown coffee shops are busy.
A question – Which would you rather do?
Run a mile?
Jump a Stile?
Or eat pancakes in a corn field?
Look forward to your reply Jim – ha, ha grazing! Perhaps we need more social clubs for just meeting. Cork and Tap? the new one dowtown – perhaps will replace coffee.