Lord Elgin Estates Development brought forward its application to Council on Monday, March 15th, for the purpose of having the Town amend its Official Plan (OP) to add a provision to the current Highway Commercial designation that would allow high density residential use and to change the zoning to R4, Residential Fourth Density.
A high density mixed use development, that would include both residential and commercial, within the Highway Commercial designation requires an amendment to the local Official Plan.
The R4 zone permits apartment dwellings, multi-unit dwellings, nursing homes, retirement homes and townhouse dwellings among its permitted uses.
Although the applicant had requested that apartment dwellings, townhouse dwellings and accessory dwelling units be permitted on the site, in addition to the permitted commercial uses, the plan was later revised to apartment dwellings only to “… facilitate a residential density and format desired in the community to reflect current housing demands”.
The current concept plan is for three, four-storey apartment buildings consisting of some 170 units, with parking and landscaped areas, although alternative designs may be considered through the site plant approval process.
Vice Deputy Mayor Mike Myatt said that bringing 170 units into the housing stock is “really important and I know we’ll be working really hard to see if we can secure some of those units at below market rent. I hope this is only the first of many rental units coming into the housing stock in Saugeen Shores … I think the walkability of the site close to schools, grocery stores and future stores on south Devonshire to be constructed, the Plex and the skate park makes a lot of sense. I commend this developer for bringing this forward.”
A proposed expansion of the existing hotel to the east is also under review.
The site of approximately three hectares of vacant land is located at the northeast intersection of Waterloo Street roundabout and Devonshire Road in Port Elgin.
To the east is the Holiday Express hotel and Independent grocery store while to the south, across Devonshire Street, are the apartment buildings owned by Skyline with adjacent vacant commercial lands. To the west is a stormwater management pond and single family dwellings and townhouses with more vacant lands to the north zoned residential and commercial.
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At a public meeting held on December 20th (2021) several concerns were raised by residents including:
• Increased traffic
• Increased noise
• Decreased commercial options
• Loss of views/greenspace
• Impacts to infrastructure and services
• Height and density
The property is located on the north side of Port Elgin within the Settlement Area and in keeping with the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS), “… directing new development and intensification to Settlement Areas is supported to ensure the wise use of land and resources, to promote efficient development patterns, protect resources (e.g., natural and agricultural), ensure effective use of infrastructure and public facilities, and minimize unnecessary public expenditures”.
When it comes to affordability, under the County Official Plan policies, housing should be “… affordable with 30 per cent of new residential development and residential intensification affordable to family incomes up to the 60th percentile and local plans should require 30 per cent of new development to be available as rentals”. The local Official Plan also sets a target of 30% of new housing to be provided as affordable housing.
If approved, the property is subject to site plan control to ensure that residential and commercial uses meet standards such as building design and landscaping.
In response to public comments, the applicant has given consideration to integration with the adjacent existing residential area by:
• Creating a landscape strip on Devonshire Road;
• Proposing a landscape feature at the roundabout that will extend the appearance of the green space associated with the stormwater management pond in the northwest;
• Establishing landscape areas to exceed the minimum 30% required in the Zoning Bylaw;
• Locating parking behind the proposed buildings to limit lighting impacts to adjacent lands; and
• Locating the site entrance to the east of the existing apartment building on the south side of Devonshire Road to minimize traffic associated with the new development and ensure vehicle lights are not directed at the existing apartment building
The Vice-deputy Mayor added that there was feedback from the residents on Waterloo Street and that he would like to see “… a nice buffer for the residents who would be looking at the apartment buildings on the east side of Devonshire so that it would be nice green space.”
Councillor Cheryl Grace also said that perhaps the landscaping strip along Devonshire Road could be a landscaped raised berm.
The applicant also agreed to restrict certain commercial uses, including but not limited to automobile gas bars, car washes and bulk sales establishments, within the amendment area.
Mayor Luke Charbonneau said that one of the problems in Ontario is the lack of supply when it comes to rentals. “We need more supply and the only way is through high density … I am very pleased the developer removed the townhouses and ancillary buildings so that this land gets the maximum benefit out of it and we are guaranteed that this will be the kind of tenancy that will be on that land (in perpetuity). In that location next to all the amenities is the kind of development that we want and this is the place for it. I’m looking forward to seeing these 170 units come on line and maybe get some element of affordability and give the government an opportunity to subsidize some housing there as well.”
In the Regular Meeting of Council following the report and recommendation, the By-laws were passed authorizing a Pre-Servicing Agreement with Lord Elgin Estates Development Ltd., and authorizing entering into a Subdivision Agreement for the Development of Phase 10 of the Summerside Subdivision.
