Cabana Road residents say they're worried about development impacting their neighbourhood

South Windsor resident Dan Coccimiglio says he understands the city needs more affordable places where people can live, but he doesn't believe existing neighbourhoods should be sacrificed in the process.

The concerns come even as Windsor's mayor last week said councillors havelittle ability to deny housing development proposals once they reach the council level.

"I'm all for housing. That's why we're open to some form of higher density compared to single-family (homes)," Coccimiglio said on Thursday.

"But to basically clear-cut Cabana Road West and make it look like Dougall Avenueis a mistake."

Coccimigliowas one of about 200 residents who gathered informally on Thursday night to share their concerns about the future of their neighbourhood asectionof Cabana Road West between Dougall Avenue and Casgrain Drive.

The one-kilometre stretch, which is lined with trees and houses, has three different proposals to build multi-story, multi-use buildings.

Each of the proposed developmentsinvolve commercial spaces, apartment-style units, and parking lots.

Meeting attendee Dave Allen said he has lived in that part of Cabana Road West for his entire life: His father built a home there in the 1950s.

"They're coming into a perfectly mature neighbourhood and clear-cutting all the trees to put up apartments," Allen lamented.

"I want to see if there's anything we can do to change this."

Last week, at a news conference about housing targets, Mayor Drew Dilkens expressed sympathy with residents worried about how higher-density developments will change the areas where they live.

But the mayor noted thatcouncil actually has little ability to deny housing development proposalsonce they reach the council level.

According to Dilkens, recent changes to provincial legislation require municipal governments to be very specific about their reasons for saying no to such projects, and those reasons must be clearly based on planning principles.

"Once you have an affirmative report from the city planner, and a positive vote by the (development and heritage) committee by the time it comes to city council, it is almost impossible for city council to reasonably turn down that application," Dilkens said.

"What I'm trying to convey is that city council's hands to stop that type of change they're very limited."

Coccimiglio said he understands the mayor's point.

"The thing is, we have to get to it before that. Before it hits council...That development and heritage standing committee, I believe that's where most of the changes (to proposals) could be made," Coccimiglio reflected.

"We need to get involved in that standing committee now, let our voices be heard, and talk about how potential re-zonings to higher density will impact the neighbourhood."

The City of Windsor's development and heritage standing committee next meets on Oct. 7.