Anastasia Shamuelova 307 Forest Drive Vaughan, ON L4L 3W7 January 23, 2017 Re: File A009/17, 307 Forest Drive, Vaughan, ON. Dear Committee of Adjustment members, I am writing this letter in response to the letter of my neighbour Attilio Fantauzzi, residing at 303 Forest Drive, Vaughan, ON, from December 23, 2017. I had a chance to talk to my neighbour on January 22, 2017. Attilio along with his relatives told me that if I could change driveway width from 14.7m to 9.03m then they would be satisfied with that changes. Attilio said in his letter - 1. " The requested driveway width of 14.7m is almost double the 7.75m maximum driveway width". I have amended my application. I have amended the driveway width from 14.7m to 9.03m. Also, As I mentioned I had a chance to talk to my neighbours on January 22, 2017. They let me know that they would be satisfied with that changes. " This span of hardscape area has eliminated all soft landscaping in the appearance of a parking lot". I am going to add more soft landscaping area according to the instruction given me by planning department. " The full width of the front yard currently accommodates the parking space for the residents' five vehicles." As I said I have amended my application. The driveway width will be changed from 14.7m to 9.03m. Also, we just moved in the house at the end of 2016. So, my garage is still full with the boxes. We simply did not have enough time to empty the garage. We are going to empty the garage and then it will have enough space to put the car inside. That will decrease the number of the cars on the driveway. " The retaining wall is too close to the east property line as it is set back 0.02m so the water runs off on to my property as my grade is considerably lower." The street has bias and it is inclined from its west side to its east side. Before that raised curb was constructed, that part of the landscape has been designed in the same way, it was visually noticeable from all the angles, please check the screen shot from the public resource, Google map. The Forest Drive street is inclined to its east direction.
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Anastasia Shamuelova 307 Forest Drive Vaughan, ON L4L 3W7 January 23, 2017
Re: File A009/17, 307 Forest Drive, Vaughan, ON.
Dear Committee of Adjustment members,
I am writing this letter in response to the letter of my neighbour Attilio Fantauzzi, residing at 303 Forest Drive, Vaughan, ON, from December 23, 2017.
I had a chance to talk to my neighbour on January 22, 2017. Attilio along with his relatives told me that if I could change driveway width from 14.7m to 9.03m then they would be satisfied with that changes. Attilio said in his letter - 1. " The requested driveway width of 14.7m is almost double the 7.75m maximum driveway width". I have amended my application. I have amended the driveway width from 14.7m to 9.03m. Also, As I mentioned I had a chance to talk to my neighbours on January 22, 2017. They let me know that they would be satisfied with that changes. " This span of hardscape area has eliminated all soft landscaping in the appearance of a parking lot". I am going to add more soft landscaping area according to the instruction given me by planning department. " The full width of the front yard currently accommodates the parking space for the residents' five vehicles." As I said I have amended my application. The driveway width will be changed from 14.7m to 9.03m. Also, we just moved in the house at the end of 2016. So, my garage is still full with the boxes. We simply did not have enough time to empty the garage. We are going to empty the garage and then it will have enough space to put the car inside. That will decrease the number of the cars on the driveway. " The retaining wall is too close to the east property line as it is set back 0.02m so the water runs off on to my property as my grade is considerably lower." The street has bias and it is inclined from its west side to its east side. Before that raised curb was constructed, that part of the landscape has been designed in the same way, it was visually noticeable from all the angles, please check the screen shot from the public resource, Google map.
The Forest Drive street is inclined to its east direction.
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According to the Engineering department it is a raised curb but not a retaining wall and it is permitted. It is not located on the property line. There are no set back requirements for that edge. Engineering department has already checked this. The water does not run off. 2. "The 9.2 driveway width requested for the portion between the street line and the street curb is 53% increase". We increased this portion by adding 0.8m only. We did not increase by 53%. That portion was originally created in 1985 when the house was built. It is seen on the picture "Before". 3. "The 7m driveway width at the street curb and curb cut is 1m wider than permitted." This is minor variance. 4. "The 15% front yard landscaped area is far that the by-law minimum of 50%." I have amended my application. I have changed the landscaped area from 15% to 25.94%. The soft landscaped area will be added.
Esther Cheong sent her letter representing my neighbour Attilio Fantauzzi, residing at 303 Forest Drive, Vaughan, ON, on January 23, 2017. Esther said in her letter -
" The birch tree arborist report is not in the file". I contacted to Forestry Department. I did talk to Kirk Scarlett yesterday. He gave me consultation regarding the birch tree root. According to Kirk Scarlett, as far as we have distance from the tree to the landscaped area which is over 1.0m, then the roots are within protected root area. So, we have the distance from the tree to the landscaped area over 1.0m. Another person Jeff from the Forestry department arrived to check the tree yesterday. He let me know as we did not touch the roots the tree will stay healthy. Also, I would like to mention that I care about the trees in general. So, when the workers placed the bricks I did supervise their work and I made sure the tree was not touched. Also, a couple of my neighbours have the birch tree surrounded by hard landscape area. The photo will be attached.
The similar Birch tree at 279 Forest Drive with hard landscaping area around it.
The similar Birch tree at 332 Forest Drive with hard landscaping area around it.
" Please refer to the attached photographs of the six cars parked". This photograph was made during the Christmas Holidays and shows my guest car. My other neighbours asked me to put my guest cars to my driveway rather than to put it to the road in order not to congest the road.
That what is happening in the neighbourhood when there is no enough space to park on the driveway. People simply can leave their cars on the roads which really congest them.
" The logic of the medical justification appears unsound. The most convenient route would be via the garage. There is a door to the basement from the garage. A door connecting the first floor would have been more effective." I do not have direct access from the main floor to the garage. Also, I have another letter from my doctor from Ukraine. I will have another surgery and treatment this year. My doctors say me not to lift any heavy things and park my car as close as possible to the house entrance. I simply can not carry my baby, the car seat, and the shopping bags if the car parked farther. So, my driveway was widened by prompted necessity and by my personal medical reasons. The way where my car parked next to my porch is the shortest way to it. "The former driveway was previously widened on both sides from original sub-division driveway width. The developer provided double driveways that were the same width as the double garages. As I mentioned before I have amended my application. I have also amended the driveway width from 14.7m to 9.03m.
"Attilio Fantauzzi is concerned about the exhaust fumes from his neighbour's vehicle. The widened driveway is only 0.5m from his property line and approximately 2.5m from his veranda". My car is parked with the distance 2.6m from the edge of the raised curb. So, in total it is parked 5.6-6.0m from Attilio’s veranda. Also, my car is in excellent working order. It has passed its emission test recently. Also, when I start the engine I just drive out right away. It takes me less than 15-20 seconds to start the engine and drive out. In addition to it, I would like to mention that there are 3 stop signs next to Mr. Fantauzzi property. During the day we have dozens of the passing by cars which stop and driving away near our houses. So, those passing by cars add the exhaust fumes to the air much more intensive than only one my car which I use even not every day. Also, I have a flowerbed between Attilio’s veranda and my car in the corner of my house. I addition to this, I am going to add the soft landscaping area to the corner between my car and Attilio veranda. I hope my neighbour Attilio will be satisfied with it. "Mr. Fantauzzi is also worried that the elevated driveway with cars will devaluate his property." During the last several years the prices of the properties are increasing very fast especially in Woodbridge. It is not very easy to purchase the property as there is a lot of buyers on the market now. This area is in high demand, and the value of homes is increasing annually by 10-15%. In addition to this increase, bidding wars also increase a home value incredibly. Also, as I said, I am going to decrease the driveway width and increase the soft landscape area to 25.94% as requested by planning department. That I hope will increase a value of the Mr. Fantauzzi property. "Most of the neighbours who have signed the applicants petition have driveways that accommodate three cars." In the area many neighbours have more than 3 cars. Many neighbours have also big families with 4, 5 or even 6 cars. One neighbour in the area has even 7 cars parked on his driveway. The prices of the properties in the area are very high and consistently go up now. People buy big houses for big families. I hope my neighbour will be satisfied with amended width of the driveway and added portion of the soft landscaped area. I hope my amended application can be considered as minor variance due to my personal medical situation. I request that you to grant me permit for the driveway widening.
Kind regards, Anastasia Shamuelova Documents enclosed. 1. A letter from Doctor Viktor S. Lupoyad. 2. A letter of support from my lawyer Mr. Ariel A. Niyazov. 3. A letter of support from my paralegal Ms. Anna V. Bon. 4. A letter of support from my friend Ms. Elena Mustafina. 5. A letter of support from my friend Ms. T. Bashkatova. 6. A letter of support from my friend Ms. Galina Abramovich. 7. A letter of support from my friend Ms. Yulia Malynovska. 8. Photos of widened driveways in the neighbourhood.
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In re: Application for Proposed Minor Variances to the Driveway Width
Letter of Support
I am writing this letter to support my very good friend Anastasia Shamuelova in her application for modifying her driveway.
Anastasia is a very intelligent and well educated person with high moral and ethical standards. She has been a role model of how to live harmoniously with others, including her family, friends and community members. When she bought this house, she was very happy and was hoping she would have a respectful and peaceful existence with all the neighbours.
Anastasia has been through a lot recently: a long and complicated recovery from the recent pregnancy, then a loss of her mother and also other long-lasting health issues.
I am a mother of three kids and I can perfectly understand how important it is to have a convenience of the shortest path from a car to a house porch, especially in winter when the weather is not accommodating and a mom needs to quickly put a baby in or out of a car. Also, with Anastasia’s extensive history of high blood pressure and spine/neck problems its better to have a wider driveway which could help to ease her condition.
Anastasia deeply cares about the neighbourhood community and I am positive that she would definitely go extra mile and give back, when required.
I do hope that the Committee would consider all the accompanying documents, including this letter, and that my friend will receive a favourable resolution for this application.
Sincerely,
Elena MustafinaDevelopment ManagerHostopia IncA Deluxe Company5915 Airport Rd, Mississauga, ON L4V 1T1
