Some house owners living on a small road away from Danforth Avenue in Scarborough are threatening to not pay property taxes, all in protest against a large construction project on their road.
Duncan Venon, who is leading the charge, has called Thora Avenue home for 12 years.
“At that time it was a good, quiet, cool residential neighborhood,” said Venon.
But he says that everyone changed when the construction of a large storage facility started.
“Since this construction site has been approved and the way it has been allowed, we have no longer received our property standards for cleanliness, traffic safety and noise.”
He and some of his neighbors are raising complaints from employees and have recently won. A noise discount permit, allows the crew to work beyond permissible hours for construction noise, can be canceled on the basis of complaints received by the city.
“It was a win for us, but we are still seeing the same problem,” Venon said. “It begins around 5:45 am, which begins with spacious trucks with road, air brake and engine brake and all kinds of noise associated with it and then with your normal sounds of metal building construction, which we think is violating the city’s byla and noise ordinances.”
Venon and some of his neighbors started organizing protests outside the construction site. During a recent meeting, he blocked the entrance of the site on his road one morning early in the morning.
“It was during the time, according to Baylav, they were not going to work,” he said, “We requested in front of the gate that they use other gates because there are three other accessible gates that they can use and not only this is one. It lasted for about two hours and then we were asked to move and we went.”
Venen says that he represents several homeowners on the road who shares similar concerns about the project.
“The heavy truck on the road leaves only one lane for traffic in the park park,” the neighbor of Vennon said. Another neighbor said to remain anonymous, “I have never allowed my child to play in the front yard and have made a big priority since the construction began.”
Speakers assigned the construction of storage facility for the Corner Development Company, but not yet heard back.
Everyone who lives here is not against the construction.
“It is temporary and these crews are just doing their work,” a property owner on the road told Citynues. “They got the city approval for this building and this road already has car repair shops, so it is mixed use that residents live here, they should know this.”
For the complaints lodged by the residents here, city employees say they are taking them seriously.
The city spokesperson told Citynues, “We are actively investigating the complaints that the construction work may be released outside the approved hours. As this investigation is on, no more comments can be made at this time.”
Residents have also approached their ward councilor, Parthi Kandelwell, who were in a hurry to pointed plans for the project, they were approved before being selected in the office.
“In the last several weeks, my office is actively associated with residents, city employees and contractors to remove these concerns and ensure the impact on the community,” Kandwell said.
“Additionally, we raised concerns about dust and hygiene directly with appropriate city divisions to ensure that the roadways have been regularly cleaned and retained.”
But Venen and others are disappointed with what they say with lack of support from the city, saying that if they do not see changes soon, some of them are considering the property tax strike.
“As long as our property standards can be fulfilled and maintained,” Venon said.
While any homeowner can stop paying property taxes, Sarfaraz Khan, a real estate lawyer with the mine law, says that all other options should be abolished first.
Khan said, “This is a good effort in a protest, but in a long time, they are not going away,” Khan said. “In a way or any other, you are going to pay them and not only that, you have to worry about punishment and interest.”
He said that the owners of the property could take the issue to the courts, which will be an expensive and long battle.
“You have to quote or charge, and then you have to hire a lawyer, so you have to go in front of a judge,” he said. “The best option is to continue reaching the city and your councilors.”
City employees are echoing those comments.
“Residents are strongly encouraged to continue paying property taxes while the issue is being addressed.”
But Venen remains firm and says – if he does not see the result – he can go to that additional step.
,There is a covenant that exists between property taxpayers and those we pay for property taxes. If we pay our taxes, we get minimal assets standard and if they do not achieve, something should be done. ,
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