The proposed Knight’s Harbour development in Meaford is back in motion after the Ontario Land Tribunal made a ruling.
After seeing a proposed settlement that takes into consideration ‘numerous’ submissions of public comment on the proposed townhouse/ apartment/ hotel development, the Ontario Land Tribunal issued a verbal order December 5th that Meaford approve the proposed development.
The land to be developed is located at 226 Boucher Street East and 138 Bridge Street.
A release from the Municipality of Meaford says the minutes of settlement with Skydev Inc. are based on the draft zoning by-law amendment and staff report that was due to be considered by council prior to the land tribunal appeal.
The agreement allows for two-storey townhouses facing the existing road, four-storey waterfront townhouses, a four-storey apartment building, and a five-storey hotel.
The settlement requires the hotel to include commercial or recreational space which will be the first phase of development on site, and building permits will be issued only issued only after a signed letter of intent is received from a recognized hotelier.
The municipality says Skydev Inc. has also committed to clearly delineate the separation of a public access route on the waterfront from the development lands as well as paying for the necessary improvements to that public access.
Council approved the draft minutes of settlement following a closed meeting on November 23, 2022, and gave direction to the Municipal solicitor to present them to the Ontario Land Tribunal at the Case Management Conference on December 5, 2022, for their consideration as part of the approval process.
Mayor Ross Kentner says, “This agreement is a positive step forward in the growth of our community, bringing a variety of much needed housing options and a hotel that will have a positive impact on our tourism industry. The agreement with Skydev Inc. ensures the development will be built in a way that best fits with our community, and provides the most community benefit possible.”
Over the course of the planning process, concerns were raised in the community over public access to the waterfront, density in the neighbourhood, an impact on traffic and allowing for a five-storey building instead of the usual maximum three storeys.
This past summer, Meaford received notice that Skydev Inc. had made an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal, and an upcoming special council meeting to look at a zoning bylaw amendment that had been scheduled for that month was cancelled.
Kentner says, “The agreement with Skydev Inc. ensures that the development is going to be built in a way that I think will really benefit the community and provide the most community benefits that are possible under the circumstances, and I think that we can credit the neighbours in the area and residents of all of Meaford who really provided a lot of input to what they thought was wrong with the plan and what they thought would improve it.”