Whereas municipalities can play a role in supporting sustainable community development, including addressing housing affordability and availability challenges; and
Whereas the housing crisis locally, regionally, provincially, and nationally, has impacted our community, increasing demand for affordable, workforce, and social housing options, particularly for low- and moderate-income families; and
Whereas the Municipality of Kincardine has been reviewing several municipally owned land parcels that may be surplus to the municipality’s needs and could be leveraged to support housing solutions, thereby addressing one of the pressing needs of our residents; and
Whereas partnering with housing organizations, senior governments and other agencies can amplify the impact of municipal resources in alleviating housing shortages; and
Whereas the Municipality of Kincardine has an identified need for increased affordable and supportive housing options in the community, which is supported through the adopted Housing Action Plan and the Municipality of Kincardine Official Plan; and
Whereas the Municipality of Kincardine is working with the County of Bruce whose role is to serve as the Consolidated Municipal Service Manager with a mandate to support social services, including employment and income supports, housing services, homelessness services and prevention, and child care, children’s and early years services; and
Whereas community partners have worked with the Municipality of Kincardine to help inform a study which considers the use of municipal lands that could be considered surplus to municipal needs and supportive of affordable housing opportunities; and
Whereas the said study includes 705 Princes Street, Kincardine ON, as a potential site to create new affordable and supportive housing spaces by working collaboratively with community housing providers, various levels of governments, and non profits; and
Whereas the Municipal Act, 2001 permits municipalities to provide grants, subject to restrictions in section 106, on such terms as to security and otherwise as the council considers appropriate to any person, group or body; and
Whereas the Municipality of Kincardine’s Community Improvement Plan includes the surplus land program which identifies that lands can be awarded at a reduced cost or possibly no cost for affordable housing.
Now therefore be it resolved that staff be directed to order a Reference Plan to delineate that portion of 705 Princes Street, Kincardine that will become the severed parcel having an area of approximately 0.28 hectares (0.69 acres) (the “Severed Parcel”); and
That staff be directed to rezone the Severed Parcel from the Institutional (I) zone to the Residential Four (R4) zone to permit residential apartments as permitted under the R4 zone; and
That staff notify the current tenant of 705 Princes Street, Kincardine of potential changes to the property and advise them that any future lease negotiations with the current tenant shall consider the contemplated changes to the property and the possible future sale of the Severed Parcel for development of affordable housing; and
That, once the Reference Plan delineating the dimensions of the Severed Parcel has been deposited in the Registry Office, staff is hereby directed to issue an Expression Of Interest for an affordable housing development on the Severed Parcel seeking submissions that align with the Municipality’s vision and the concept plan included in the Flourish report dated September 16, 2024.