Council unified that Huron Street apartment project doesn’t fit city, feels hands are tied

A rendering of the proposed apartment buildings located at 315 and 317 Huron St., a proposal hotly opposed by neighbours and some city councillors.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

While most councillors around the horseshoe were in agreement that a proposed apartment project at 315 and 317 Huron St. was not suitable for the city, many were concerned that despite their reservations it was a moot point to deny it.

Although presented at the Feb. 9 Stratford city council meeting by city planner Alex Burnett, the project has been in the works for some time now, having first been presented to council in April of last year during a public meeting. The proposal is for two three-storey apartment buildings with six units each that share a back parking lot. Along with a list of setback and lot area exceptions, the applicants are also asking for reductions in the required green space (from 30 per cent to 14 per cent) and the amount of visitor parking (from two spots to one).

Just like in the public meeting, residents expressed concerns about many aspects of the project, from increased density and diminished neighbourhood character to privacy, noise and traffic concerns.

“One big thing that doesn't get brought up enough in many of these meetings is the garbage and recycling,” neighbour Rick Brodhagen said at the February meeting. “… Twelve units on a recycling week, which we have every other week, would see three, potentially three receptacles at the curb from each of these units, and then that's 30 feet in front of each unit. So then we have 36 garbage receptacles lined up down here on the street in a 60-foot space. How does that fit? How does that work? Sorry, that's in each one, so even more.

“… I am a local proponent for increasing density to reduce urban sprawl,” he continued. “… Yes, increase density responsibly. This does not do this responsibly. The fact that there needs to be a zoning change first of all, fine, but then you have to apply to change all of the rules of that zoning change? Just shows how it doesn't fit the area, it doesn't fit the law and it doesn't need to be there.”

Council evidently agreed. Couns. Larry McCabe, Cody Sebben, Lesley Biehn, Jo-Dee Burbach, Mark Hunter and Bonnie Henderson at one point or another during the discussion expressed that the project had shortcomings and perhaps was not a good fit for the city – be it the size, the character of the area, flooding concerns, garbage and recycling pile-up, the snow removal plan and the lack of parking for renters and visitors alike.

Additionally, many seemed frustrated that despite their concerns, their hands were tied.

“I do see the red flags,” Biehn shared. “… The way that I have learned is that if it meets the professional Provincial Planning Statement and the City of Stratford Official Plan, that we really can’t deny it.

“ … if we denied and it's appealed, then we would have to fight our own staff and hire outside legal help and all of that to prove that our staff is wrong. It just becomes this big mess that I don't know that we would win it … If it meets all of those things, our hands end up being tied in the sense that the province has told us what we can and can't and what we do and what we have jurisdiction over.”

While Adam Betteridge, director of building and planning, would not comment on whether or not the applicant would win an appeal if the project was denied by council, he did point to the province’s appetite for new housing. Additionally, the proposal is consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement and the city’s Official Plan and constitutes sound land use planning, according to the department.

Additionally, Betteridge clarified that while this application request did not come from the planning department (being from the developer), there were some merits to the perceived negatives.

“A unit that doesn’t have as many parking (spaces) or zero is going to be a lot more affordable than a unit, an apartment that does have parking spaces assigned to them. So when we’re trying to walk that balance of affordability and attainability and accessibility of housing, we usually come down to have an argument or a concern about parking, but removing parking, especially on a main arterial in Stratford, has an ability to reduce the going rent.

“The current environment with the provincial government is one of housing and one of trying to find a range and mix of housing types, housing affordability, types and locations,” Betteridge said. “This one is on an arterial, so I might not be able to answer that (appeal) question directly … but I do know that Mr. Burnett and the applicant’s planners have put a great deal of planning analysis into this proposal.”

Before a motion to move the staff recommendation was voted on, chief administrative officer (CAO) André Morin suggested a deferral, noting council’s hesitation with the development. By deferring, the applicant could reassess and come back with a proposal more to council’s liking.

The deferral motion was unanimous.