The Blue Mountains council has approved an altered rezoning for a proposal to construct a new apartment building in Clarksburg.
At its committee of the whole meeting on March 19, council held a lengthy discussion about a rezoning application for a property located at the corner of Marsh and Clark streets in Clarksburg. The proposal would see a mixed use building constructed on the site that would include two commercial units and 10 residential apartment units. The proponent - Andrew von Teichman - has received approval for funding through the town’s community improvement plan to make two of the apartments attainable units.
Council’s discussion and debate lasted over an hour and featured multiple motions and amendments to the initial resolution recommended by staff. The ultimate result was an approval of a rezoning amendment for the property that isn’t exactly what the proponent was seeking.
The original rezoning sought permission for two residential units to be located on the ground floor of the building (residential units are not permitted on the ground floor of commercial buildings), reduced rear and side yard setbacks and a reduction of the number of parking spaces required from 24 to 22.
The setback reductions in the rezoning were requested due to the unusual shape and alignment of the property. The land fronts onto Clark Street, which means the portion of the property facing Marsh Street (the main thoroughfare in Clarksburg) is actually classed as a side yard. The reduction of two parking spaces was required to accommodate green space on the property, the septic system and the snow storage area.
Council did not allow the reduced parking requirements, increased the rear yard setback from 2.01 metres to 3 metres and asked for the ground floor residential units to remain residential in perpetuity.
The reduced number of parking spaces and the future of the ground floor residential units were two prime concerns expressed by members of council.
“I do not think we should be reducing the parking spaces at all. We lack parking spaces in Clarksburg,” said Coun. Gail Ardiel.
Mayor Andrea Matrosovs agreed.
“The minimum is there for a reason,” she said.
Coun. June Porter said she was worried the ground floor units would one day revert back to commercial spaces. She said such a possibility had been mentioned at the public meeting about the rezoning.
“I don’t see that there is a long-term commitment to this,” she said.
Town planning staff confirmed that the ground floor residential units would not require a rezoning process should the property owner wish to eventually convert them to commercial space.
To get to final approval for the rezoning, multiple votes were required for each requested zoning change after Matrosovs asked for the resolution to be split.
The request to reduce the side yard setback from 4.5 metres to 1.5 metres passed in a 5-1 vote, with Coun. Paula Hope opposed. Coun. Alex Maxwell was absent.
The request to reduce the rear yard setback from 7.5 metres to 2.01 metres was defeated 5-1, with just Coun. Shawn McKinlay in favour. A second resolution to approve a 3 metre setback passed unanimously.
The request for a reduction in parking spaces from 24 to 22 was defeated 4-2, with McKinlay and Deputy Mayor Peter Bordignon opposed.
The committee of the whole decision is not final, the matter will return to the council table for a final vote on April 2.
