Heritage designation appealed
An appeal of the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s decision to seek a third-party heritage designation for the Randwood Estate was filed this week by Two Sisters Resort Corp.
The company, which owns the four properties that comprise the 5.6-hectare lot — 144 John St. E., 176 John St. E., 200 John St. E. and 588 Charlotte St. — filed an appeal with the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (formerly the Ontario Municipal Board).
Consequently, four bylaws dealing with the town’s notice to designate the properties, including the land and buildings, under the Ontario Heritage Act were withdrawn from the council agenda Monday with no discussion.
Two Sisters Resort Corp., owned by Benny Marotta, wants to build a 145-room hotel and conference centre and has faced fierce opposition from the SORE residents group (Save Our Randwood Estate). The group has objected to the height, density and design of the proposed development.
Last month, council denied a request by Two Sisters to demolish some of the buildings at 200 John St. E. and 588 Charlotte St. A heritage consultant hired by the town had recommended approval of the demolition of two residential buildings, a garage, three sheds and a pool as they had not been identified as heritage attributes.
However, council voted in favour of the municipal heritage committee’s recommendation that no buildings be demolished until a detailed interior analysis was completed.
Maurizio Rogato, the planner for Two Sisters, had urged council not to “just designate for the sake of designation” and said the third-party designation being pursued by the town was continuing to delay the process.
“We are 100 per cent committed to designation of Randwood Estate in accordance with the town’s official policy,” he said in an interview Monday, noting the company had been in the process of seeking designation on its own for the lands and several buildings. Rogato said the appeal was launched because of the town’s decision to seek designation for all of the resources, even those like the pet cemetery built in 1995, which have no heritage value.
He called the town’s actions “an abuse of power that is intended to stop the development.” Rogato said the role of the municipality should not be to bully property owners who are looking for an adaptive reuse and retention of heritage resources.
Rogato said Two Sisters is always available for discussions with the town before the appeal comes to the tribunal.
“We’re open to work with the town,” he said. “We’ve been extremely consistent (regarding seeking designation).”
Rogato estimated that it would be at least a year before a hearing would be held to determine which resources would be designated. In the meantime, he said, Two Sisters would continue with the upkeep and preservation of the land and buildings.