A proposal to build 491 units in five residential buildings — two of them 14 storeys high — not far from the intersection of Gordon Street and Clair Road goes to council for the first time later this month.

The Tricar Group, based in London, Ont., wants the city to amend its Official Plan and to rezone a 7.9-acre site on the east side of Gordon, south of Poppy Drive East. The site is currently vacant except for one single detached dwelling and an accessory building, says a city staff report.

Tricar, which in recent years built two condo towers downtown near the river, wants council to allow 14-storey buildings at the southend site instead of the 10-storey limit in the Official Plan. It wants a maximum density of 175 units per hectare, instead of 150, to be allowed. It also wants townhouses to be added as a permitted use, as well as reductions in minimum side yard setbacks and minimum distances between buildings.

The proposals go to council’s monthly planning meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. April 10, for a statutory public meeting.

The proposed development includes two 14-storey residential apartment buildings on the northerly part of the site, with a linking single-storey amenity building. Also proposed are a 10-storey residential apartment building on the east side of the site and two four-storey residential apartment buildings on the southern part of the site.

All of the buildings, except for the 10-storey building at the rear of the site at 1888 Gordon St., would have townhouses at the base facing either Gordon Street or the internal private roadway and central public plaza. The westerly 14-storey apartment building proposes seven two-storey townhouses oriented to Gordon Street. Three single-storey townhouses facing the internal street are proposed along the front of both 14-storey apartment buildings. For each of the four-storey apartment buildings, four single-storey townhouses facing the internal main street and open space area are proposed.

Vehicular access to the site is proposed from Gordon Street, with a second access at the rear of the site providing a connection to Poppy Drive to the north. Three storeys of underground or enclosed parking are proposed for each of the five residential buildings, totalling 701 parking stalls.

The site has a garden nursery to the immediate north, with a large commercial/retail centre located north of Poppy Drive. There is residential development along Hawkins Drive and Poppy Drive to the east and a mix of residential, open space and natural areas to the south, the report says. Gordon Street is to the west.

City planning staff haven’t yet made any recommendations to council on the matter. They will review the mater and report back to council with recommendations in another report, after hearing input from the public and from council on April 10.