By the narrowest of possible margins, city council added 81 properties to the city’s registry of cultural heritage properties on Monday evening, with the largest divide being whether they consider the registry to be burdensome for property owners.
All of the properties are located in the York Road and Elizabeth Street area, which is the subject of revised land use plans endorsed 12-1. The vote to add properties to the registry was held separately and passed 7-6.
“We need to be more careful about putting burdens on properties that a lot of people consider to have no heritage value,” said Coun. Bob Bell, adding to comments from Ward 1 colleague Coun. Dan Gibson about concrete block buildings being “frozen in time” with the decision.
“This is not an onerous thing unless you want to demolish the property,” retorted Coun. Cathy Downer, noting most of the time demolition permits are “not that onerous” to receive.
The properties were identified by staff and Heritage Guelph as having cultural heritage value because they are “generally representative of the period of industrial growth that occurred prior to the Second World War,” notes a staff presentation.
“Essentially, it’s a flag,” Stephen Robinson, the city’s senior heritage planner, said of the registry, explaining council receives a 60-day window of opportunity to consider formally designating properties for heritage protections when a demolition permit is sought. “It’s a recognition more than anything.”
Properties on the registry are not provided other protections, he added, explaining there is no additional permit requirement for renovations, alterations or additions.
“History has shown that we remove more properties (from the registry) than we designate,” added Coun. Leanne Caron.
In favour of listing the properties were councillors Phil Allt, James Gordon, June Hoffland, Mike Salisbury, Dominique O’Rourke, Downer and Caron.
On the opposing side were Mayor Cam Guthrie, along with councillors Christine Billings, Rodrigo Goller, Mark MacKinnon, Gibson and Bell.
Bell was also the lone opponent to approving the York Road/Elizabeth Street Recommended Land Use Study which makes several changes to allowed business uses including restricting outdoor storage uses of a “noxious nature,” expanded uses within the service commercial designation and encouraging small and medium-sized entrepreneurial and incubator enterprises.
The study also urges improvements to active transportation networks, investigation of active transportation links to the downtown and over the rail line, as well as consideration of creating a community park.
