Development Meeting – 33 Watson St

Register to Speak at the Meeting here: https://ca.mar.medallia.com/?e=364087&d=l&h=E9138D464605533&l=en

Video recordings of the hearings are streamed and posted to YouTube on the City of Toronto’s publicly accessible channel. Proceedings can be watched via the City of Toronto live YouTube link found here: https://www.youtube.com/@TorontoCityPlanning/streams

Click here for the proposal Application and Draft Plan

This is a hearing will take place to deny or approve the clear cutting, severing of 33 Watson Street to build 2 dwellings, essentially like townhomes with 4 front doors with lower apartments, 2 double driveways, and no trees. At the last allowable minute, the applicant has uploaded a change of definition of their buildings labeling the buildings as 2 single-family dwellings with no other changes to their plans.

This is an Urgent Call to Action: Please Attend the Hearing. We need numbers. Please speak up now to Stop the destruction of the trees.    

Yesterday, Lora and I, along with another neighbour, have retained Fleury, Comery LLP Barristers & Solicitors; a local firm in Highland Creek with a great deal of knowledge of our community. During our meeting we were advised that if this build is approved it would be detrimental to the value of our properties and those of our community and trigger ‘Blanket Rezoning’ ushering in the great potential to build semi-detached structures that resemble town houses throughout Highland Creek.  On the advice of the solicitor we had our homes evaluated/valued and we are hiring an arborist to provide a report.   *If this proposed development is approved, it greatly endangers the existing landscape of detached homes in Highland Creek and the value of our homes.

HELP SAVE THE TREES

What this applicant is requesting is an unacceptable destruction and damage to the forest system. We recognise the value of the trees and forest within our day to day living; and the tree canopy here the reason why many of us came to live in this area. 

• This proposal is asking to effectively clear-cut the property of mature beautiful life-giving trees and place neighbouring trees in danger of harm. A beautiful tree canopy; some as old as 80-100 years.
• Building codes state there can be no danger to neighbouring trees.
• The applicant submitted an arborist report misidentifying trees and requesting permission to endanger neighbouring trees.  A rare and healthy Dawn Redwood/Metasequoia was misidentified as a Red Pine; and another tree reported as ‘preserved’ within the written submission while showing as ‘removed’ on the building plans. This change was updated recently to ‘removed’ on the written portion.
• Urban Forestry (UF) inventoried the trees associated with this application, noting the Metasequoia /Dawn Redwood root system will reach out over 6 meters and should not sustain any damage. Stating only approximately 12 Metasequoia /Dawn Redwood exist in all of Ontario. 2 of these rare and ancient trees live on the neighbouring property to #33 Watson Street.
• Urban Forestry (UF) reported 33 Watson as condition #5 on their report, meaning they recommend denial of the application to sever and the proposed development. It is rare that this condition is used.  It is clear Urban Forestry recognizes the unacceptable level of damage and destruction in granting permission to sever 33 Watson and develop it as proposed.
• Urban Forestry (UF) recommends the Committee of Adjustment deny the application, thereby sparing the trees on the property and those on neighbouring properties.

The law firm hired will state all facts as to why this project should not proceed. However highly recommends it is of the upmost importance that we also have as many community members present at this hearing as possible to demonstrate our concerns. We are advised that the more community members that state their concerns on the trees and severing of this property is integral to support a denying of the application.

The hearing is scheduled on Wednesday January 14th, 2026, at 1:30PM at Scarborough Civic Centre.

To request to speak, you must make your request no later then Monday January 12th, 2026 @ 4:30 p.m. to the COA mailbox – coa.sc@toronto.ca.

If you have any questions, please reach out.

Best regards,

Bill and Lora

Message from HCCA President

Message from Councillor Neethan Shan

Dear Committee Members,

I am writing to you regarding the application to sever the property at 33 Watson Street. After extensive review and consultation, I can not support this severance for the following reasons.

Our office has been contacted by a significant number of residents who are deeply concerned about this proposal. The overwhelming feedback from the community is clear: residents want to preserve the character of Highland Creek that is provided by the mature trees on this property. These trees are not only integral to the neighbourhood’s identity but also provide environmental benefits that cannot be replaced by new plantings.

The severance and development would result in clear-cutting most of the property’s mature trees, with only 4 of 11 trees preserved. This is an unacceptable impact on the tree canopy and the value it provides to the neighbourhood.

The City of Toronto’s Urban Forestry Division has formally objected to both the severance and the proposed development plans. Their report emphasizes that:

• The property is well-treed, and the proposal would require removal or significant injury to multiple healthy, regulated trees.
• Preserving existing mature trees is a core principle of the City’s Official Plan (Sections 3.1.2.1(d) and 3.4.1), which calls for incorporating mature trees into landscaping designs and enhancing the urban forest.
• Urban Forestry explicitly states that they object to the requested consent to sever the property and objects to the proposed development on both lots.”

The City is actively working on measures to strengthen tree protection, including reducing the DBH threshold and introducing protections for very mature trees. Approving this severance would run counter to these efforts and set a concerning precedent for future development in Highland Creek.

In conclusion, I urge the Committee to give significant weight to the objections raised by Urban Forestry, the Highland Creek Community Association, and the many residents who have contacted my office. This proposal does not align with the Official Plan, the zoning bylaws, or the principles of sustainable development and community preservation.

Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Neethan Shan
City Councillor
Ward 25 – Scarborough Rouge Park