Latest / North Shore News / October 24th, 2024

Transcript

October 24th, 2024 · North Shore News

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  Welcome to North Shore News and Interviews on Amherst Island Radio.
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  Each week we keep you updated on newsworthy events, happenings and conversations that
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  we've had with people in the local community and beyond.
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  After hearing concerns from William Street residents, Loyalist Township Council denied
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  staff's recommendation to approve applications for an official plan amendment and zoning
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  bylaw amendment related to a proposed 45-unit development in Odessa.
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  The meeting took place on Tuesday the 22nd.
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  Brooklyn Fine Homes has been looking into the development since 2022.
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  They're looking to build three four-story dwellings consisting of 15 units each.
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  From the pre-consultation meeting on January 11, 2022, followed by multiple open houses
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  to obtain input from the public, concerns have mainly been related to traffic, safety
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  issues, aged water and sewer infrastructure, parking, proximity to the 401 and emergency
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  service access.
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  The proposed amendment to the official plan was to redesignate the property from commercial
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  and low-density residential to medium-density residential.
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  The zoning bylaw amendment would have been to address a number of site-specific performance
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  standards to facilitate the development.
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  Council ultimately voted against the motion and put forth another motion to deny the
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  company's applications.
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  Residents of William Street who attended the meeting noted their opinions and concerns
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  about the new development.
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  From the road widths to the off ramp, from the 401 to the hydro easement, to the condition
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  and the capacity of the road and the water and sewer system, this rezoning and development
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  does not fit on this piece of land.
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  If regular citizens of the Township can research and clearly demonstrate how this goes against
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  established limits and allowances, it baffles me that anyone could possibly recommend to
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  accept this proposal with a clear conscience.
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  This is the third time that I've made a presentation to Council on this proposal.
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  The first time was with the previous Council with a petition that was presented and signed
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  by all but Two House is on William Street opposing the development.
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  The Two House is not signed where because I couldn't reach the residents.
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  I know they keep referring to Odessa like Napa Nii which I don't think is a fair comparison.
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  The official plan was developed to protect areas by preventing incompatible uses.
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  This is an incompatible use.
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  What the builder is proposing is urban sprawl in an area that is too small to accommodate
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  is planned for the monetary benefit of one or two individuals at the expense of the William
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  Street residents who purchased our homes because of the uniqueness and peacefulness of the neighborhood.
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  We don't want it.
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  Planning Supervisor James Griffin explains the decision made by staff to recommend approving
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  the applications.
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  In regards to alternative locations, this is the location that's presented to us and
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  we staff can't direct private landowners to develop on locations.
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  We rather are provided applications and we review them against the tests of the provincial
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  policy statement and the official plan.
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  In this instance, we have reviewed those thoroughly and are confident that it meets the tests
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  of those policy documents.
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  Councillor Paul Proderick was one of two councillors who showed support for approving
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  the applications.
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  I feel for the residents with the concerns and I think given the three things I heard
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  were parking, speed and access to Highway 2, I'm just wondering if that's an issue
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  that should be dealt with outside of this in terms of parking signs, maybe it becomes
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  a community safety zone, upgrading the park and so on.
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  I do think given that it's consistent with the PPS, anybody has the right to appeal,
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  I believe and I think on appeal, this is a solid application of that policy statement.
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  Councillor Mike Booderick also supported approving the applications.
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  I know it is not exactly what the people in the area are exactly looking for.
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  Unfortunately, the province has skewed the mandate for housing to make sure that things
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  get pushed forward and this does fit everything that they're asking for.
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  The other four members of council didn't agree and the applications were not approved.
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  Councillor Lorna Willis explains her reasoning.
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  I fully understand the need for more housing, I fully support the need for more housing
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  and development in the township.
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  I have a concern that people in this community move to this community with a certain understanding.
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  They looked at that piece of property and thought the most that would happen is a few
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  houses, maybe six.
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  To turn that into 90, I think is unfair.
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  That's a very violent change to that very small neighbourhood.
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  The zoning, the type of property I've lived in stacked townhouses, that was the first
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  home I ever owned.
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  I think that that's a great model for intensification but let's put it in newer subdivisions that
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  are being planned so that all of the neighbours know what they're dealing with when they buy
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  their homes.
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  I just can't support it on William Street.
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  Councillor Jake Ennis notes the amount of opposition from residents.
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  I think in general, I have concerns about its compatibility.
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  I acknowledge the applicant's proposal and staff's analysis.
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  I still don't find it to be 100% compatible with Loyola's Official Plan policies around
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  medium density and the requirements for gaining a medium density designation in this particular
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  location.
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  I also think we have to acknowledge the amount of resident opposition to the proposal.
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  We get lots of proposals.
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  There's zero opposition.
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  We get lots of proposals.
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  There's a handful.
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  In my experience, we've got a lot that there's this much opposition.
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  So I'd just like to acknowledge that as well.
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  The Mayor, Nathan Town, and explained to Council why he couldn't support approving
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  the applications.
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  I think it's worth saying that this is an example of what happens when the provincial
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  response to the need for housing lets the market decide because this is what happens.
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  You get for-profit developers who determine what we need and you get provincial legislation
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  that essentially gives them carte blanche.
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  The proponents representative basically told us we had to do this because it conforms to
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  what our targets are and what we're being told to do by the province.
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  To a certain extent, that's true.
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  But I think at face value to what my colleagues said, this is an example of a development
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  that I would argue we don't necessarily need in terms of the housing that it is.
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  It's certainly not what I would consider affordable and it's not wanted by the community.
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  And it's just an unfortunate situation in my mind, but for the reasons that my colleagues
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  stated I too will not be supporting.
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  Since 2022, the company has undertaken a number of studies and reports in relation to the
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  land and development.
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  This includes a geotechnical report, a noise impact study, a stormwater management report,
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  a hydrogeological assessment, a photometric plan, topographical survey, and site plans,
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  an overall site and architectural plans.
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  A formal pre-consultation meeting was held on January 11, 2022.
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  A public open house was held on September 8, 2022, followed by statutory public meetings
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  on October 11, 2022 and December 11, 2023.
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  At that time it was decided that once comments from the township departments, agencies and
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  public had been addressed, an official recommendation would be brought forth to council.
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  Various revisions have been made to the proposal since it was initially proposed to address
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  public, staff and agency feedback.
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  If a site plan control application is not approved for the development by October 22,
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  2026, the allocation will be made available to other properties.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
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  This is North Shore News.
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  Lennox and Addington County will be examining strategies to take on a rapid increase in
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  homelessness in the area.
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  Prince Edward Lennox and Addington Social Services brought forth a report to council,
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  detailing the issues and possible solutions for the increase.
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  The report also noted opioid-based overdoses in the area.
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  Prince Edward Lennox and Addington Social Services currently has a list of 87 people
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  who are known to be homeless in the area.
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  Out of those, 69 are in Lennox and Addington County and 18 are in Prince Edward County.
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  Director of Social Services at Lennox and Addington County, Lynn Chenye, explains what the county
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  is doing for people in need.
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  Some of the things that we are doing as well, really we're doing everything in this report
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  with the exception of the 24-7 emergency shelters.
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  So we're really trying to focus on providing permanent solutions for people who are in
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  need.
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  So transitional housing, it is a temporary position, however it's a much needed gap between
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  homelessness and permanent accommodation.
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  Councillor Terry Richardson made a note of difficult circumstances in specific situations.
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  There's a term that I've most recently come across which is the term of being unhousable.
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  The Supreme Court has obviously suggested that people have the right to shelter.
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  However, if they're unhousable, I don't believe that we need or we should have the ability
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  to allow them to park anywhere they want because the system is set up and designed to put people
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  in housing but those folks don't seem to have the ability to go into housing.
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  Chenye explained how Pellis views these situations.
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  We would always be working with the person for them to become housed, whether that's
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  in transitional housing or in permanent accommodation.
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  Nobody is ever permanently unhousable.
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  They may be unhousable today in the private market renting of an apartment but that's
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  what we use our transitional housing for, moving people from homelessness into transitional
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  housing, offering them supports, connecting them to resources so that they would then
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  be able to maintain their own accommodation at some point in time in the future.
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  I think everybody has the opportunity to become housed.
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  What that housing looks like though can be different for a number of people.
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  Chenye notes the list of homeless people in the area only includes those who have consented.
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  This by name list only includes, it includes everyone that we know of that is homeless
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  or precariously housed if they consent to be on the by name list.
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  So there would be people out there that we maybe know about but have not consented to
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  be on the list so those people are not included in the list.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
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  This is North Shore News.
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  I'm Sarah Birch with Kingsness News and here are the top headlines that you need to know.
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  A series of disturbing incidents in the Westport area recently led to multiple criminal harassment
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  and indecent act charges.
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  Police believe these incidents have been occurring since July and now an arrest has been made.
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  Luke Boeckler, 37 of Perth Road near Sydenham Lake was arrested on Sunday, October 20.
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  During breast cancer awareness month, Kingston Health Sciences Center is encouraging individuals
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  to prioritize their health by scheduling a breast screening exam today.
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  Individuals between ages of 40 and 74 can call Breast Imaging Kingston directly, 613-384-4284
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  and do not need a doctor referral.
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  Last week, Awesome Kingston awarded its $1,000 micro grant to a project called Venus Family
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  Toy Box.
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  This family run initiative raises money throughout the year so that two young boys can donate
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  a mountain of toys to Toy Mountain for Christmas.
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  At their meeting on the evening of Tuesday, October 22, NapaNee Council received a report
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  and briefing from CAO Matthew Grant which outlined the results of the town's public
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  consultation process around the potential new restrictions and guidelines meant to address
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  growing concerns about homelessness.
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  For more on these stories and other local news, visit kincsonist.com and subscribe.
• 12:57
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