Letters to the Editor: Protecting the character of the Beach is utmost priority for owner of proposed Lake Front house

A letter to fellow Beach residents:

The Beach is one of the most vibrant and desirable neighbourhoods in Toronto, with homes that are some of the most attractive in the city.

While the beauty of the area is enough to draw people in on its own, it’s the strong sense of community and relaxed lifestyle that people love. For me, it’s also a neighbourhood that I’m proud to call home since 2005.

My love for the Beach was the reason I chose the neighbourhood to build my dream home – a decision that has resulted in some concerns among our community.

As a member of the community and lover of the Beach myself, I am passionate about this area and recognize the importance of both maintaining its character and establishing a strong rapport with other residents.

While I appreciate the open dialogue and respect these concerns, I believe they are partly based on misinformation.

As a result, I would like to take the opportunity to correct the inaccurate information about my proposed plan at 440 Lake Front.

Based on misleading images that have been circulated, the impression has been created that the roof will be several stories higher than neighbouring homes. In reality, the roof will be lower than the existing and neighbouring house to the west.

From street level, the property will be three stories high, which is the same height as surrounding properties. Many other properties in that stretch, including the current house on the property as well as the neighbor to the west, present themselves as 4-storey buildings from the beach.

There have been claims that the proposed home will be built all the way to the property line. The house will actually have a significant set back from the public beach, will not encroach on public space and will create more green space than my immediate neighbours have.

We worked closely with the city planners to meet their recommendations. The set back is 12.33 metres from the property line and 17.16 from the shoreline hazard line. The natural vegetation in front of the property creates an additional buffer. Other homes in that area have built their outdoor pools right to the property line. There is no reason to believe that my property will adversely impact public enjoyment of the public beach.

Some of the residents may not agree with having contemporary homes in the Beach. While the style may not be of everyone’s choosing, there is no question that the design will be tasteful and fit in the beach environment. The home was designed with beautiful beachfront architecture in mind, working with a world-class architect.

Sustainability is my number one focus. I understand that the beach is environmentally sensitive land and I also have concern for the environment and our community.

The Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) has studied the project for eight months and independent experts have found no concern related to flooding or other negative impact on the environment and the bluff. The house will actually stabilize the bluff. We have incorporated sustainability into the design of the house including a green roof and possibly geothermal heating technology.

Protecting the beachfront character of our community and the beauty of Lake Ontario is my utmost priority, and the concerns expressed by the neighbourhood are not taken lightly.

I value the opinions of my neighbours and believe that having open and honest conversations are necessary to continue improving our community.

I hope that the information above will help to provide residents with a different perspective on the development of 440 Lake Front.

I will continue to remain open to hearing concerns and working towards an acceptable resolution for everyone.

If you would like to email me directly, I’d love to hear from you: 440lakefront@gmail.com

Dr. Gunther Eysenbach
(for the
Eysenbach family)

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