Council to ponder downtown vision

A proposed change of zoning in downtown caused a bit of a stir during council on Jan. 18. The issue was over the rezoning of 325/327 Main St, which currently is commercial on the first floor and residential on the next two. The developer wanted to rezone the first floor to residential, and create two new apartments in the building.

Concerned neighbors and members of the public voiced opposition to changing the bottom floor of the building to apartments, worried about the loss of commercial space in downtown Liverpool.

Bill Cox said he was happy to see young people investing in the community, but questioned why it had to be at a loss of commercial space. “In the absence of a downtown development plan, which would indicate the direction council would like to see it go, it should be left as commercial.”

He added it also might give developers the wrong impression, that Liverpool is not friendly to commercial development.

John Winters didn’t speak against changing this particular property, but said council needs to be concerned of trend in town of converting commercial space to residential. “At some point, the council has to recognize either they want to change or maintain the look of the downtown.”

The motion passed unanimously to allow the rezoning, but councillors did recognize the need to have a better downtown vision.

Mayor John Leefe said having members of public bringing issue forward stresses the need to build a development plan for the downtown.

The Region is currently developing an Economic Development Planning Strategy for the downtown. On Wed. Jan. 27, the Region held a meeting with downtown businesses on the challenges facing downtown businesses, and how to revitalize the downtown.

nmoase@theadvance.ca