Council approves 6-storey apartment for Arthur Street

A recently approved apartment building in Fort Erie could provide solutions to the town’s housing shortage, in more ways than one.

Mayor Wayne Redekop floated the idea of directing the community benefit charge towards providing affordable housing within the building, which will be located on Arthur Street.

“Maybe there’s an opportunity to…utilize the community benefit that arises from this building to create some affordable rental units in the building,” Redekop suggested at Monday night’s council-in-committee meeting.

A staff report outlines the community benefit charge, which would be four per cent of the value of the property, payable the day before the first building permit is issued. Community benefit charges can be used for a variety of areas, such as the public realm and urban amenities, active transportation, affordable housing and parking.

Fort Erie council has been on the hunt for ways to increase housing options, including affordable housing. Given the building being proposed, Redekop said it made sense.

All told, the proposal calls for a six-storey apartment that’s purpose-built for rentals, with 63 units. Additionally, there would be three on-street townhouse dwellings, and the property would maintain an existing single detached dwelling.

According to the staff recommendation report, the developers “requested site-specific provisions related to minimum lot frontage, minimum lot area and maximum density. Planning staff have also included site specific provisions related to minimum side and rear yards.”

The approval does come with some strings attached. A holding provision includes requirements surrounding a nearby private gas well, an archaeological study, a septic tank decommissioning permit, as well as sanitary capacity.

Staff said some of that work has already been done, and in a few cases they’re just waiting for the Region to sign off on things.

A future consent application will be required to sever the apartment block and townhouses from the existing home. The apartment will also be subject to site plan control.

At a meeting earlier this fall seeking feedback from council and the public, some concern was expressed about infrastructure, crowding and extensive development that’s already occurred in the area.

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