ELORA – The gallery at township hall was packed to overflowing on April 19 as Centre Wellington held a public meeting regarding two proposed developments in the downtown core of Fergus and Elora, each seeking to add a fourth storey to the buildings.
The first property is at 350 St. Andrew St. W. in Fergus, and the owner is seeking a zoning bylaw amendment to allow him to build a four-storey apartment building on the site that was formerly a doctor’s office.
The second proposal is to build a four-storey apartment building at the corner of Moir and Geddes streets in Elora.
In both scenarios, current zoning allows for a maximum of three storeys.
Fergus proposal
Regarding 350 St. Andrew St. W., the proposal is for 36 rental units:
- 24 would be 289 square feet and rent for $1,000 a month;
- six will rent for $1,700 a month;
- three for $1,900; and
- three for $2,100.
The latter units would be about 500 square feet.
Pierre Chauvin, a planner with MHBC acting on behalf of the applicant, said Centre Wellington is in a housing crisis and needs more rental stock.
“We have seen an increase in rental rates because of a lack of rentals,” he said.
“The idea with this proposal is to provide that supply.”
Nine of the units will be barrier-free, he said and there will be 21 parking spots located under the building, which complies with the township’s parking requirement.
Monthly parking rates would be “unbundled” from rent, so only tenants who need a spot would have to pay for parking.
“These tenants won’t have the same parking demand,” Chauvin said. “This is a way to encourage active forms of transportation.”
The parking garage would be accessed via an easement between the building and Melville United Church’s parking lot.
The building will have outdoor rooftop amenities for its tenants as well as indoor amenity space.
The ground floor will be commercial space.
Multiple studies have been completed, Chauvin said – on noise, light, heritage, shadows and the environment.
Chauvin noted the applicant has moved the building back from the sidewalk to maintain views of Melville Church as required and will have a vibration monitoring plan during construction to ensure no structural damage to the church.
Richard Wright, a trustee at the church, said the church community’s biggest concern is the presumed use of the easement as a driveway for the apartment building.
“That will increase traffic in our parking lot,” Wright said.
He added it will also increase the church’s insurance premiums as the church is home to many programs for seniors and children and there is traffic in the church parking lot on more than just Sundays.
Wright said church officials are willing to work with the developer and perhaps sell the easement but so far there has been no interest.
“If insurance becomes too expensive, the church will have to cancel its community programs,” he said.
Fergus business owner Sean Mulligan said his biggest concern is parking.
“Twenty-one spots for 36 units is not feasible,” he said, adding he doesn’t buy the notion that tenants won’t need a car.
“Parking is already a problem downtown,” he said.
Elora resident Ian Rankine was opposed to allowing more height in the historic downtown cores before a number of things happened:
- survey residents;
- conduct a land-needs assessment;
- hold a community workshop to discuss appropriate height in heritage areas;
- consult the heritage advisory committee; and
- exempt or amend the official plan.
“There needs to be more information and reflection before addressing height,” Rankine said.
“Increasing height will cause major, irreparable harm to the low-rise feel … This should take an official plan amendment, not a zoning amendment.”
Resident Bob Jackson echoed those concerns.
Building above three storeys in the historic downtowns, “will destroy the low-rise character and feel of the villages,” he said.
“This is not the solution to the affordable housing crisis. Approving this … will squander the limited, available land.”
Former township councillor Ian MacRae lobbied in favour of allowing an extra storey of height, noting the only way for a builder to include an elevator is in a four-storey building, and the only way to provide accessible apartments is with an elevator.
“I support the proposal,” MacRae said.
“It blends with its surroundings, it adds visual variety, and the height brings an elevator and accessible units.”
Elora resident Mike Nagy said he is frustrated at comments suggesting that adding height to buildings downtown would threaten heritage.
“Somehow a four-storey building is a threat to the community – it’s not,” he said.
“These are fear-based comments. I’m for heritage but if you don’t go up, you will go out.”
Losing farmland for housing is not a feasible alternative, Nagy said.
Elora proposal
The proposal in Elora is for a four-storey building at the north end of the village’s commercial district, at the corner of Moir and Geddes streets.
All 19 rental units would be accessible and three of them would be three-bedroom apartments, six would be two-bedroom apartments, five would have one bedroom and the rest would be bachelor units.
The owner of this property also owns other surrounding buildings in what was once known as the Connon block.
An existing house on the corner of Princess and Moir will remain; a 12-unit stacked townhouse fronting on Moir Street has already been approved; and the commercial building on the corner will remain commercial.
Chauvin, also the planner for this proposal, noted the building would have 31 parking spots.
But work on Moir Street in connection with the townhouse proposal will add more on-street parking, which will help with Elora’s lack of parking overall, he said.
Wellington County councillor Mary Lloyd spoke against the proposal.
“Four storeys will create an imposing wall and the small-town feel will be lost,” she said. “And it will open the door for more.”
Rankine and Jackson again spoke against allowing more height without a proper official plan amendment.
MacRae again spoke in favour of adding height to get fully accessible rental units.
Business owner Reesa Lent worried that approving this proposal would set a precedent for other developers.
She noted two properties on East Mill Street have been purchased by developers.
“If we say yes to this, they will ask for five storeys on the river. And there will be a wall of housing on Mill Street East and we will lose views of the river,” she said.
Councillor Bronwynne Wilton declared a conflict of interest as Chauvin is her husband.
She left the meeting after declaring her conflict.
No decisions were made at the meeting and the matters will return to council at a future date.
