Chair of Belleville’s Planning Advisory Committee Councillor Jackie Denyes and city clerk Matt MacDonald, August 7, 2018 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
A proposal for a residential-commercial development in Belleville’s Station Street area is on its way to city council for consideration, following some changes in the plans.
The developer, a numbered company, plans to build a 103 unit, six-storey, apartment building with commercial space on the first floor, on a site at Station and Albion Streets.
When the plan came before the city’s Planning Advisory Committee on July 3, committee members expressed concerns about increased traffic and possible flooding on neighbouring property.
A staff report to the committee Tuesday night indicated the developer has since presented an updated Traffic Impact Statement and preliminary Storm Water Management Plan which have been accepted by the city’s Development Engineer.
An amended application was presented featuring more parking and street access changes.
It calls for 35% of the property to be landscaped and have 140 off-street parking spots.
The developer met with surrounding residents on July 26 and provided an overview of the changes, including a location for temporary snow storage, landscaping features and private fencing.
Councillor Egerton Boyce at Belleville’s Planning Advisory Committee meeting, August 7, 2018 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Councillor Egerton Boyce told the committee he had attended the public meeting, and he complimented the developer on the changes added to the project. Boyce said he was pleased with the buffer landscaping and community gardens.
Councillor Jack Miller also paid a compliment to the builder, indicating that the changes had been made within a month, “meeting their needs, the city’s needs and those of residents around the area.”
Councillor Mitch Panciuk said he had concerns that developers pay large costs for storm water management when the city will eventually put in new streets with storm water systems making the developers’ systems redundant.
The traffic plan calls for one point of access from Station Street. Access to Albion Street would be emergency exit only, with a gate.
The staff report supported the project “in consideration it is for affordable housing developed on a brownfield site.”
The committee is recommending that city council approve the adjusted plan.
