Stacked townhouses proposed for vacant Niagara Street lot in North Welland
‘A practical design people could afford in a challenging market,’ developer tells councillors
Once zoned for a five-storey, 48unit apartment building with commercial space on the main floor, a vacant lot between Travelodge and Tim Hortons has new owners with different plans for the site in north Welland.
Tuesday, city councillors heard from Raj Patel, of RPD Studios, and Robert Russell, of Robert Russell Planning Consultants, about the 0.93-hectare piece of land on the east side of Niagara Street. The developers needed zoning bylaw and official plan amendments.
Patel was speaking on behalf of Rohit Parmar, owner of 858 Niagara St., while Russell laid out plans for the property, which include 67 units in three stacked townhouse buildings and a smaller building holding two commercial units.
The site would include 73 parking spaces and community amenity space. The north side of the townhouses would back onto the Travelodge.
Patel said although the site was approved for an apartment building, market changes would make that kind of development tough now.
“We went back to the drawing board and came up with a practical design people could afford in a challenging market,” said Patel.
Russell said though the property stretched toward a woodlot on the east side, that woodlot would be left alone. “It’s a very tight site.”
He said the area is surrounded by various businesses, including a grocery store, restaurants and the Seaway Mall, which could be supported by residents.
Ward 4 Coun. Tony DiMarco asked if the units would be affordable.
Patel said they would be attainable — the term now commonly used — if based on the benchmark of $539,000 for a three-bedroom unit and $450,000 for a two-bedroom unit.
Whether they would be sold or rented depends on the market, and Patel said his client is open to either option.
DiMarco questioned whether a traffic island, leading to the stoplight at Niagara Street and Lancaster Drive, would come into play with vehicles trying to leave the property, especially those trying to turn left.
Patel said the existing entrance would be used.
Grant Munday, the city’s director of planning and development, said he didn’t believe the island would be an issue, but staff will wait for comments from Niagara Region before a final report on the proposal comes back to council.
With several developments in the area — Warbler Village at Seaway Mall, one on Quaker Road east of Niagara and Lock and Quay at the end east of Quaker — DiMarco questioned whether the city should ensure infrastructure is in place before approving the proposal.
Both the presentation by Patel and a staff report on the proposed zoning bylaw and official plan amendments were to be received for information only on Tuesday.
Munday said infrastructure is addressed when applications are made to the city.
Ward 3 Coun. John Chiocchio asked if any commercial businesses had been secured for the two units that front Niagara Street.
Patel said the units are small, 120 to 130 square metres, and they had no tenants at the moment.
Chiocchio said it was a great proposal, especially with no nearby existing residential homes.
“It fits the area and Niagara Street,” he said.
Ward 1 Coun. Adam Moote said the proposal was a reasonable design considering the limitations of the property.
He and Ward 4 Coun. Bryan Green asked what the plans were for the woodlot, and whether it would be donated to the city.
Patel said regardless of whether it remained private or became public, the woodlot would remain protected.