The Town of Kingsville has approved six-storey buildings in parts of the Main Street corridor, despite residents' resistance.
On Monday evening, council voted 4-3 to increase the maximum building height in the Main Street Neighborhood and Main Street Gateway East Zones. This change will not impact the area defined as the Main Street Core.
Residents packed Unico Hall to hear council deliberate the matter. Five delegations spoke against the proposed by-law amendments and one individual spoke in favour.
In defence of the decision, Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers told the crowd the current structure has proven to be “indefensible.”
“So, we tried to find a planner in the province of Ontario to help support four storeys and we couldn’t,” Rogers said.
“This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction. This has been in the works for over a year. We changed the [Official Plan] then we had an appeal, and we learned. So, we had an external planner, an external lawyer and as well as our internal lawyer tell us that four storeys is not defensible.”
Appeals launched at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) called into question the four-storey limitation. A proposal for a six-storey development at 183 Main Street was subsequently denied and appealed to the OLT.
In September, a negotiated settlement allowed the 183 Main Street development to move forward and in return, the appeal on four-storey limits was withdrawn.
On Monday, town staff said the matter cost more than $70,000 in legal fees and additional municipal resources.
Rogers recognized council made a mistake by originally denying the 183 Main Street proposal.
“I will not support gambling with taxpayer dollars on a fight that’s been proven to fail,” Rogers said.
Rogers noted other Essex County municipalities already allow six or more storeys.
Kingsville residents spoke out over the potential lack of infrastructure and the risk of losing the small-town culture and feel.
Resident Gail Stiffler told council Kingsville is at risk of becoming a “concrete jungle” with more tall developments.
“I want to make it clear that I’m not opposed to growth or six-storey buildings. I am against building them in our downtown core on Main Street,” she said.
Stiffler told council the area should remain a place for families and friends to roam. She noted the sense of belonging and community pride is being eroded by elected officials.
“It is felt more deeply at the municipal level because it affects our everyday lives and changes the community we love into something unrecognizable.”
Members of council made note of the fact the building height change will not immediately spur a swath of new six-storey developments.
All potential construction will have to undergo studies to ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place before breaking ground.
