A local Markdale group is encouraging the Municipality of Grey Highlands to make changes to local regulations to allow the re-development of the downtown area.
At its meeting on Nov. 20, Grey Highlands council received a delegation from Ken Roth of the local group called Strong Towns Grey Highlands.
Roth made several suggestions for changes to local rules and regulations that the group believes will help spur growth and a revitalization of downtown Markdale.
In his presentation, Roth compared Main Street West – with its traditional downtown buildings close to the street/sidewalks, with stores on the main floor and apartments above – to Toronto Street North (Highway 10) with a wider road, smaller buildings and wide open spaces used for parking.
Roth said the goal of any re-development in Markdale should be to have Toronto Street North begin to look more like Main Street West. He said such a change would see “more unique businesses and a more vibrant downtown.”
His group is suggesting that Grey Highlands and Grey County can make several changes to local zoning regulations to encourage the kind of re-development desired in Markdale.
Among the changes suggested by the group is relaxing or eliminating minimum parking space requirements for new construction of buildings downtown.
“There is no need to force property owners to create parking. It takes away from the buildable area of the lot,” said Roth.
He noted parking is always a concern, but can be satisfied by encouraging spaces at the rear of buildings. He said the elimination of minimum parking requirements would encourage larger buildings, because developers would not have the added worry of building parking spaces/lots along with their building.
The group suggested Grey County reduce its centreline setback rules to allow new buildings to be located closer to the road in order to encourage buildings more like those traditionally found in downtown areas.
They also encouraged Grey Highlands to divide municipal-owned properties downtown into smaller lots that could be sold to the private sector for new buildings.
Roth said many of the changes they are suggesting could be made through housekeeping amendments to local and county zoning and official plan regulations.
Members of council were impressed with the presentation and voted to ask staff for a report on the various suggestions made by Strong Towns Grey Highlands.
“There are some good concepts here,” said coun. Nadia Dubyk.
Coun. Joel Loughead agreed.
“I think this is the right thinking,” he said.
Mayor Paul McQueen also noted that the municipality’s long-awaited zoning bylaw update is back on track and would be contemplating some of the changes being proposed. McQueen said Grey Highlands recently hired a contract planner to work on the zoning bylaw project.
“The zoning bylaw is moving forward,” he said. “Those things are coming.”
