Sarnia City Council is being asked to direct staff on how to proceed with an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal regarding an affordable housing project at the corner of Melrose Avenue and Exmouth Street.
The board of the Inn of the Good Shepherd appealed a city council decision in March after official plan and rezoning bylaw amendments failed in a 5-4 vote.
The project originally proposed a six-storey apartment tower and a townhouse block at the former Laurel-Lea St. Matthew's Presbyterian Church, which is currently the site of the county's emergency shelter and homelessness resource centre.
During settlement negotiations, city staff received a counter offer to eliminate the proposed townhomes and instead increase the number of units in the apartment building -- although a specific number of proposed units was not included in a report to council.
By eliminating the townhomes, the applicant believes this would provide a buffer for neighbours, reduce the building mass, and provide more open space.
If the building were to include 62 residential units, the applicant proposes 38 parking spaces.
The report to council states there are two options: accept the counter offer (subject to the total number of proposed units) or direct staff on how to proceed with respect to future settlement negotiations.
Mayor Mike Bradley, who initially voted in favour of the project, said it's a "really complicated" situation.
"If council is not wishing to compromise and no one is changing their position, then it makes sense just to take it straight to the land tribunal," he said.
If that's the case, Bradley said the odds of the project not moving forward "are pretty limited."
"The province has made it clear, we want housing, we want affordable housing, and we want it in communities and locations that work for people with transportation and other services," Bradley said.
However, proceeding to an OLT hearing will be costly.
"I don't like to see that. On the other hand, we need to get this to a resolution," said Bradley.
The council report said if the matter is not settled, additional experts may be required and moving through a formal hearing could cost over $100,000, "with no guarantee of success."
Bradley also noted the important distinction between the proposed affordable housing project and the current overflow shelter.
"Unfortunately, what I've been witnessing in the last few months, those two have been blended together even though they're two separate issues," he said.
During the March council meeting, a representative of the Melrose Community Group presented council with a petition of over 250 signatures opposed to the proposed affordable housing project, citing multiple health and safety concerns.
A letter from Inn Executive Director Myles Vanni, included in the council report, said the proposed project is not intended to be supportive housing but is geared to low income, working poor, seniors and those on disability pensions.
Council will discuss the matter during its regular meeting on Monday, October 20. The public meeting will start at 1 p.m.
