The City of Belleville’s Planning Advisory Committee heard public comment on a major housing development being proposed for a much-discussed former industrial property in east end Belleville on Tuesday.
The proposed rezoning application from a numbered company looks to allow 599 residential units on the former Bakelite Thermosets property at 621 Dundas Street East.
Residential units would include 185 apartment dwellings, 176 stacked townhouse dwellings, 130 townhouse dwellings, 36 single-detached dwellings, and 72 back-to-back stacked townhouse dwellings.
The application would also allow for multi-use trails and parkland.
Miles Weekes, a senior planner for Fotenn Planning, represented the applicant during public comment on the application.
He outlined what was in the proposed development and reasons for the submission of the application.
“The site-specific zoning that’s proposed is in order to establish performance standards for the site that aligns with the unique nature of the site,” Weekes told the committee.
“The intent of the application is to redevelop this brownfield site to a vibrant community, which reopens the Waterfront Trail extensions and a new public park.”
Weekes says the proposal respects environmental areas and that they won’t be affected by development.
“No development is proposed within the protected wetlands or sensitive environmental areas. Quinte Conservation Authority previously established limits for development in order to protect these features. The proposed development respects the boundary established by the county conservation authority,” Weekes said.
One person did speak about their concerns with the project.
Laurie Borthwick, with the Quinte Naturalists, said she wasn’t totally opposed to the development as it helps to address the issue of housing. However, Borthwick said she hopes that concerns surrounding the bird population are addressed.
“There are 164 species of birds that live within the lagoon and the two marshes on either side. (They) cross through or use that area to feed,” Borthwick told the committee.
“We know there’s a buffer zone, and we appreciate that and that’s really excellent, but we’re really hoping that they might consider as well, some bird mitigation methods, like bird safe glass to prevent collisions and bird deaths from that. Lighting has (also) been a problem down there. We don’t want to disturb the natural wildlife with too bright of lighting.”
Borthwick also expressed concerns about storm-water management, salt in the water, pesticide use on lawns, etc.
City staff will take feedback from public input and put together a report that will be presented to the committee at a future meeting.
