A major, six-storey development project proposed for one of the final, undeveloped blocks of Collingwood’s shipyard area came before councillors on this week asking for changes to zoning to allow the development, but hit a snag.
The request to remove a requirement for a restaurant at the north end of the proposed Collingwood Quay development proved to be a sticking point for many councillors, who voted Monday to refer the entire file back to staff to do a peer review of the developer’s retail feasibility study before they’ll make further decisions on zoning changes for the land.
“I believe that the rationale that’s been offered here – that there is not sufficient commercial opportunity or viability – is very ill-conceived,” said Coun. Deb Doherty during Monday’s meeting. “The amount of population we’ll be adding... there’s going to be a massive residential component and a captive audience for such a service on the waterfront.”
“If you talk to visitors or residents, the No. 1 amenity that seems to be missing now is a waterfront restaurant,” she said. “Deleting that restaurant opportunity from the harbour is a loss.”
The Collingwood Quay development, owned by developer FRAM and Slokker, which also has a project on Johnson Street in Barrie, is looking to build a six-storey, mixed-use building on the 0.7 hectares to the north side of Side Launch Way. The development would be neighbour to the future Perfect World development to the east, and the Harbour House development under construction to the south.
The project is planned to include a maximum of 101 condominium apartment units, and a minimum of 300 square metres of ground-floor commercial space, with underground parking for building tenants and above-ground parking for retail patrons. Also included would be a waterfront promenade/trail around the perimeter.
The property is currently vacant and was historically an industrial site as part of the Collingwood Shipyards. It is currently zoned under the Official Plan as commercial, with some parkland running through the middle of the land.
The purpose of the zoning changes being requested to the property now would be to allow mixed use on the site, which would include residential dwelling units on the ground floor, to adjust the parkland designation so the trail could run around the perimeter rather than running through the middle of the property, and to remove a requirement for a restaurant at the north end of the site.
As part of the submission package, a retail feasibility study was completed for the property by Tate Economic Research Inc. which concluded that it is not an appropriate location for a significant amount of retail.
To access all the studies prepared by the developer as part of their submission package, click here.
During public consultations on the development, which took place in July 2022, three public comments were received regarding concerns over the building height, the promenade continuation and high water levels. During Monday’s meeting, resident Bob Eckhart raised concerns about the stability of the land, as his home faces the east side of the former launch basin.
“My concern is the condition of the concrete retaining wall,” said Eckhart. “I’ve witnessed erosion of that concrete over the years, and I have concern about new construction.”
An agent for FRAM and Slokker Bennet MacNeil said the developer has agreed to reconstruct the shoreline wall in its entirety as a condition of permit, and have initiated a separate process for that with town staff, the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority and Tatham Engineering as a peer reviewer.
During council comments on the development, Mayor Yvonne Hamlin noted there have been examples of development plans along the waterfront over the years that were intended to be mixed-use, but ended up being fully residential constructions, which caused her concern for the waterfront as a whole.
“What we have, so far, is just residential,” she said. “Now, we have the last piece. It was so important to our community to not just have retail/commercial space at the north end of this property, but it’s stipulated in the planning documents that it be a restaurant.”
Hamlin noted the specific designation is unusual but necessary, as it was important to the community to make sure there was back-and-forth foot traffic between Collingwood’s downtown and the waterfront.
“I was so disappointed to see this come forward with the elimination of the restaurant at the front with a retail feasibility study that, in my view, didn’t address what the issue was and assumed all kinds of facts that are incorrect,” she said.
Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer noted there is still a restaurant included as part of plans for the Perfect World development as well. Town Planner Justin Teakle noted that while the zoning for the Perfect World development does include a restaurant as part of their plans, it is not a requirement under their current zoning.
Doherty shared further concerns that the way the waterfront is currently being built-out favours private access.
“It seems to me our waterfront animation opportunities are secondary to private access and enjoyment of the waterfront, and I think as we continue to build out the waterfront, we need to be very cognizant of that,” said Doherty. “The waterfront master plan outlined complete enjoyment of the waterfront for all and this configuration of this building right now fails to achieve that.”
At the end of discussion, Hamlin put forward a motion to refer the Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments for the Collingwood Quay project back to town staff for a peer review of the retail feasibility study prior to council making any decisions on the amendments.
The motion passed by a vote of 4-3, with Fryer, Coun. Kathy Jeffery and Coun. Rob Ring opposed. Coun. Brandon Houston and Coun. Steve Perry were absent from the meeting.
