QUEENS COUNTY – The Region of Queens Municipality’s council held two public hearings in the council chambers at 6 p.m. April 24.
School Street – Milton
“The purpose of this public hearing is to provide any interested person with an opportunity to present an oral or written presentation to the council of the Region of Queens Municipality with regards to its intention to rezone a portion of PID# 70162201 from institutional (I1) to multiple unit residential (R3),” said David Dagley, mayor of the Region of Queens.
Dagley said the owner intends to have up to nine units to “meet the residential housing needs.”
Mike MacLeod, planner for the Region of Queens, provided background information about the rezoning request for 17 School St. in Milton. He said most people know the property as the former Milton Centennial School.
“Under the current zoning, it allows for the creation of up to a maximum of three residential dwelling units,” explained MacLeod.
The background further explains the property was rezoned to institutional (I1) in 2015 to accommodate the Prince of Wales Masonic Lodge.
Eric Goulden, owner of the property, would like to use some of the unused space to create residential units.
MacLeod said the Masonic Lodge would stay in the building for now, which is why the owner is only looking to rezone a portion of the property.
Queens County resident Bill Cox spoke in favour of the rezoning request.
Goulden said the units are built at a high standard. He said the dwellings would be heat efficient and well constructed. Additionally, he said there would be appliances and on-site storage. Each unit will have its own door, meaning there won’t be a central hallway. Sound proofing between the units will be strong, Goulden said.
Bristol
The second public hearing was for a request to rezone PID# 70026844 and a portion of PID# 70026786 from restricted residential (R1) to fishing and marine (M3).
MacLeod said Mersey Seafoods intends to redevelop its property. He said the company would like to build a modern processing facility on the portion of land being used for parking.
“Mersey Seafoods has been in operation since the mid-60s at this location. It’s certainly a well-recognized and important component of our community,” said MacLeod.
The background explains that the majority of Mersey Seafoods’ land is zoned as fishing and marine (M3), including the parcel on which they would like to assemble the new facility.
“However, in order to accommodate development setbacks and to provide for a truck turning and storage area, a rezoning of adjacent residentially zoned parcels would be required,” explains the background document.
MacLeod said in the package, Mersey Seafoods also included a landscaping plan, which would be part of the development to try to lessen some of the conflict that could come up with adjacent residential properties.
One Bristol Avenue resident said since moving onto the street 41 years ago, she’s seen many residential properties be rezoned to commercial. She asked council to, when considering the rezoning application, ask themselves what they would like Liverpool’s entrance to look like.
She said she doesn’t think the office fish plant proposal is “in keeping with the look of the neighbouring residential portion of Bristol Avenue.”
Greg Simpson, president of Mersey Seafoods Limited, said the company has been part of the community for 50 years.
“We’re committed to Liverpool, and we’re planning to build a new, modern, scallop production plant here to replace the current facilities,” he said. “The new plant will help solidify the future for our current employees as well as provide new employment for future opportunities.”
Simpson said Mersey Seafoods thinks the depictions of the new facility provide a good example of what the company is proposing. He said he couldn’t promise the building would be identical, but he said it’s what the company is aiming for.
“The proposed building location, I think it’s important for everyone to understand, was determined because of geotechnical analysis where we had to take into consideration required elevation and distance set back from the river,” said Simpson.
He said taking those factors into account, Mersey Seafoods believes the intended location is the most suitable one. The company is conscious of its neighbours and intends to add greenery to the front and side of the building. He said Mersey Seafoods is open to suggestions on how the buffer area is done.
Another Bristol Avenue resident said she’s completely in support of the new facility. She expressed a few concerns, including how far from the road the building would be. Another concern was that the landscaping blends into the neighbourhood. A third concern regarded vermin and whether there would be vermin closer to people’s houses. Fourth, the resident asked what would happen to 38 Bristol Ave. If the house were removed, how would the lot be maintained?
Return to regular council
Following the public hearings, the regular council meeting that was recessed in the morning resumed at 7 p.m.
The first item – 13.1 – was a recommendation that council adopt a bylaw with respect to the rezoning of a portion of PID# 70162201 – 17 School St. – from institutional (I1) to multiple unit residential (R3).
There was a unanimous vote in favour of the motion.
The second item was a recommendation for council to adopt a bylaw with respect to the rezoning of PID# 70026844 and a portion of PID# 70026786 from restricted residential (R1) to fishing and marine (M3).
Councillors Raymond Fiske, Susan MacLeod and Jack Fancy expressed their excitement about the new facility.
There was a unanimous vote in favour of the motion.
