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Feature Chronicle Staff Jean Rockel is not moving. The owner of a house at 46 Peppler St. at Bridgeport Rd., Rockel is not selling to Toronto developer First Plazas Inc. which plans to build a 15,240â€"squareâ€"metre commercial development in the area. _ "They‘ve been bugging me for about a year now, since last year. I‘ve lived here 35 years now," says the 61â€"year old widow. My husband‘s family lived here for 75 years or so. It‘s very sentimental to me." First Plazas has purchased the other houses on the east side of the block between Erb St. and Bridgeport Rd. The company also owns a sixplex apartment building at 24 Peppler. The last of the building‘s tenants moved from the apartment building at the end of April, after receiving invalid eviction notices. The company‘s sign on Bridgeport Rd. indicates the developer plans to construct a 15,240â€"squareâ€"metre shopping centre on the block, and is suggesting retail lessees can move in this fall. City regulations require the developer to submit site plans to the city planning department before any properties can be demolished. "We don‘t need another plaza as far as I‘m concerned," said Rockel. "I think there could be another sixplex or a seniors apartment. "I know neighbors around here who are looking for an apartment, who are seniors. They can‘t afford condomiâ€" Rockel said the company has approached her several times through a real estate agent. "They want to get me a place someplace else, but I don‘t want to move. "I want to stay right here in my home where I feel comfortable." The company "said they could have much more space if I‘d sell. The value of my house would go down. I said I realize all this and just don‘t want to walk away. They offered me a _ "I don‘t think I want to sell so they can put up a parking lot. That‘s what they want to do here. Contravention won‘t halt demolition Chronicle Staff A loophole in the provincial Rental Housing Protection Act will probably allow a Toronto developer to tear down a perfectly good sixplex apartment building at 24 Peppler 8t. "It would appear that (First Plazas Inc.) has contravemed the Rental Housing Protection Act and gotten away with g:"hnid Waterloo Commissioner of planning ‘Tom The last tenant of the building moved out at the end af April after receiving an invalid evietion notice from a law firm representing First Plazas. A sign on nearby Bridgeport Rd. indicates the developer intends to build a 15,240â€"squareâ€"metre shopping centre on the block and is hinting retail lessees can move in this fall. All other properties on the east side of Peppler St. between Erb St. and Bridgeport Rd, with the exception of 46 Peppler St. have been bought up by the developer. The Rental Housing Protection Act is intended to Won‘t sell so they can make another Loophole in housing protection act means building will fall parking lot "We need houses for people...I just want to live here. I wouldn‘t feel comfortable moving someplace else." The area already has enough shopping centres with the Tower‘s Plaza, and Waterloo Town Square and the Erb Centre, she said. Though she has made up her mind to stay, at least for another year, Rockel has no illusions of holding up the development. "I‘m the only one on this side, so I don‘t think I have much "They‘ll probably just go ahead and do what they want to do, unless there‘s a bunch of people who complain." preserve muchâ€"needed rental accommodation in the provâ€" ince, and requires developers to receive permission from mmmmwmivepemmon' ion from city ‘to demolish rental accomodation. The applicaâ€" tion would go through a similar process to that of a zoning When the tenants of 24 Peppler St. evacuated the building after receiving the invalid eviction notice, the developer‘s case for demolition was strengthened. ‘"While it was a rental residential property, as soon as the last tenant has moved out, it is a vacant property," said building was empty, the Rental Housing Protection Act doesn‘t apply. ‘"There is a way for developers to countervene the act. We‘ve just seen an example of it." The legislation was invoked without consultation with ‘"We‘ve come to the conclusion that as soon as the sttb Poppler 9t at Bndgepont Road at r St at port refuses to sell her home to Toronto developer First Plazas Inc. The comâ€" pany has bought up the rest of the east side of Peppler St. from Bridgeâ€" port Rd. to Erb St. to build a retail shopping centre. lan Kirkby photo L ATERLOO CHAONICLE, given the power to police the act. If someone violates the act it‘s up to the tenants to do something about it. The act assumes everyone is going to follow (it). The developer has submitted preliminary site plans to the city which contained "technical flaws". When the final site plan is submitted the city will have three options: approve the demolition, approve it with conditions, or not approve it, said Slomke. until he‘s ready for demolition," he said. If demolition is refused, the developer could "allow it to deteriorate such that he could get an order (from the city) to demolish the building," Slomke told city council May 16. John Zimmer, viceâ€"president of development for First Plazas Inc. recently told the Chronicle the company may not need the land the apartment sits on. _‘ We don‘t have to have that apartment building. We‘d like to have the apartment building." "You can put conditions on what can be done with the lot