Building relations

PECAHC partners with Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte

Last week, Council, sitting as the Planning Committee, took its first step towards offering affordable housing on a piece of property the municipality owns in Picton. The re-zoning application is a municipality-initiated re-zoning on behalf of the Prince Edward County Affordable Housing Corporation (PECAHC), which currently owns the land located at 29 Disraeli Street. It was transferred as surplus from the County in June.

The rezoning proposed would permit the use of this property for an apartment building to provide affordable housing. The proposed building will consist of six 450 square feet bachelor units and six 600 square feet one-bedroom units. The ground floor will include covered parking and common amenity space such as a lobby, mailboxes and laundry facilities.

The affordable housing component of the building will be developed in partnership between the PECAHC and the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, where 50 per cent of the units developed will be dedicated to Indigenous youth between the ages of 18 and 30 that are registered on the centralized waitlist of Mohawks Bay of Quinte for affordable housing.

The property is currently zoned Institutional, and will be rezoned to Special Urban Residential Type 3 to allow for the apartment building. Municipal water and wastewater services exist along Disraeli Street, but the proposed development will need to see both extended to the site. The end of Disraeli Street will need to be formally assumed by the municipality and brought into the road network through a formal by-law. This will also require that the municipality upgrade and construct this portion of the required road to municipal standards.

The costs for this work would be part of the grant funding that PECAHC has received for the project.

The proposed amendment also includes reduced parking standards to permit the proposed development and proposed number of units. This is justified by its walking distance to many amenities within Picton’s downtown core and employment within the industrial park.

Philip Everhardus lives on Gladstone Avenue, and his property is directly behind the proposed project. He told the committee the he received zero communication on the rezoning, and that he along with his neighbours have concerns such as increased traffic, noise and crime. “Most, if not all, understand the housing shortage in Ontario and the need for affordable housing. But the height of four stories is above what we consider reasonable,” said Everhardus. “This is a building that would potentially be 50 feet tall. Comparable or taller to the height of the Wellington arena, overlooking single family homes. It is not only our discomfort of being shadowed by a building of this scale, it is simply not practical to build such a tall building on such a small footprint.”

He pointed to other small towns in Ontario where he says affordable housing is built at three levels, much like the apartment buildings on Downes Avenue. “This is not a coincidence. It’s a very economical way to build and maintain medium-density housing. There are significant differences in construction when you build four stories. It will likely need an elevator, the capital cost which is very high, as well as tens of thousands in operating costs and eventual retrofit,” he said.

He then asked if emergency services have been thought through. “In the event of a fire, how does a ladder truck manoeuvre around a building and 15 parking spaces in a 60-foot wide lot?”

Councillor Ernie Margetson heard the concerns, but reminded that the design of the building wasn’t before the committee at this time. “Tonight we are rezoning to a special R3 zone. We aren’t really establishing what will be built there at this point,” said Margetson.

County Planner Dale Egan confirmed that was the case. “That’s entirely correct. Tonight we are establishing the zoning that would permit an apartment building. There is a special provisions for a reduced front yard setback that actually would take the building further away from Mr Everhardus’s property and closer to Disraeli Street,” said Egan.

Councillor Bill Roberts was happy to see the County partner with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. “I think it’s a great proposal. I think it is a great rezoning application. It transitions Truth and Reconciliation from words and wishes to something practical and helpful and cooperative in building relations between our two communities,” said Roberts.

The zoning bylaw will to be ratified by Council at the August 16 council meeting. A public information session will come at a later date.