Ontario Land Tribunal Approves 15 Market Street Planning Application

The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) has approved planning applications submitted for 15 Market Street, Port Elgin. The planning applications are a County Official Plan Amendment, a Town Official Plan Amendment, a Town Zoning By-law Amendment, and a Draft Plan of Subdivision consisting of 141 residential units. 

The developer appealed the applications to the Ontario Land Tribunal after the Town did not approve the proposal as submitted. The Town’s concerns included the watercourse on the site and stormwater management, tree protection, natural heritage, the connection between woodlands, affordable and attainable housing, and traffic impacts, including traffic on Geddes Street. 

The decision by the OLT confirmed the conclusion of a previous OLT hearing, which was that the applications constitute good planning, have sufficient regard for matters of Provincial Interest, are consistent with the Provincial Planning Statement, and conform with the Town Official Plan and County Official Plan. To read the decision of Tribunal, view the document on the OLT website. 

Through the Ontario Land Tribunal process, several changes and conditions were incorporated, including: 

• Housing mix and affordability: the subdivision will include 12 single detached lots and three four-storey apartment buildings, with a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Of the apartment units, 90 are to be condominiums and 39 are to be rental units, with approximately 50 percent designed as accessible. A condition also requires a minimum of 10 percent of units to be affordable. 

• Environmental protection and park connection: an open space block will be transferred to the Town to connect to Nodwell Park, improving the existing trail, and protecting a large portion of the existing tree coverage. Additional tree protection areas are also included in an Environmental Protection zone, bringing the total tree canopy preserved to approximately 46 percent. 

• Stormwater, watercourse, and fish habitat: Both the Zoning and Draft Plan of Subdivision Approvals contain protections to ensure the developer meets the regulations of the Province, the Federal Government, and the Conservation Authority. No development will advance until requirements are met.