Hamilton planning committee recommends selling Stoney Creek property to fund affordable housing
Hamilton's planning committee has recommended selling 1400 Baseline Rd., near Lockport Way. The proceeds from the sale would help to fund affordable housing projects across the city. - Kevin Werner/Metroland
The property at 1400 Baseline Rd., near Lockport Way and the North Service Road, had been purchased by the city in 2008 with the goal of building a future tourism gateway centre. In 2018, the city declared the property as surplus, after it was relinquished by the province.
To make the land more attractive to potential developers, staff recommended to the Jan. 12 planning committee to rezone the application to medium density residential. The designation, which was approved by the committee, from low density, would allow buildings up to nine storeys and a density of 50 to 99 units per net residential hectare.
“It is an ideal location for medium density,” said Alissa Mahood, senior project manager.
Stoney Creek Coun. Maria Pearson, who represents the area, said the plan for the property has been “a long time coming.
“The whole zoning is to allow some intensification,” she said. “Certainly, what can fit in there could be townhouses, it could be maisonettes, we don’t know.”
Pearson said selling the land will “put dollars into the affordable housing pot.”
But Pearson said she also needs funding to build sidewalks along the Winona and Fifty Road overpasses.
The property was identified by council’s affordable housing site selection subcommittee as one of 19 underutilized properties across the city that could be sold to help finance affordable housing projects.
Ray Kessler, manager of real estate for the city, said the idea is to put the property up for sale and ask “north” of $3 million.
Glanbrook Coun. Brenda Johnson, who represented the area until 2018 when her ward was realigned, agreed with Pearson that some of the money raised from selling the property will finally go toward building sidewalks along the Winona and Fifty Road overpasses.
“That community has been waiting a long time for sidewalks to be built,” she said.
Yet Johnson opposed staff’s recommendation. She said there wasn’t enough input from homeowners on the city’s proposal to sell the land. She said any development that is built on the property “will impact people living in that area.
“I really have some concerns that the city is going ahead to rezone this because what if the potential buyer wants commercial? All we are doing is saving a potential buyer some money,” said Johnson. “I think we can do much better.”
Public notices were sent to households within 120 metres of the land, and an advertisement was placed in The Hamilton Spectator.
Vivian Saunders, who lives along the lakeshore area of Stoney Creek, and represents the Lakewood Beach Community Council, said council and the city prevented the public from engaging with residents. The members said the city violated its own public consultation strategy.
“The level of secrecy in regard to this application is appalling,” she stated, requesting councillors reject the recommendation. “It is our hope that other members of council put a stop to the shenanigans that prevent residents from knowing what is going on in their own neighbourhoods.”
Pearson said because of the pandemic she was unable to hold a public meeting with residents.
“I know residents are concerned about the nine storeys,” said Pearson. “It’s just a suggestion. (The recommendation) is giving parameters.”
