The fate of a south end stone house rests in the hands of the Conservation Review Board, which must decide whether it’s worth protecting through a heritage designation or if a demolition permit should be granted.
Industrial Equities Guelph Corporation, which owns the former farm house at 264 Crawley Rd., filed an objection to the city’s efforts to see the two-storey, neo-classical structure designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.
“It would be unreasonable and unfair to impose additional obligations on our client in relation to the building, especially in consideration of the extensive amount of time and resources that our client has already expended on maintaining, insuring and otherwise caring for the building to-day,” argues lawyer Eileen Costello in a letter submitted to the city on Jan. 18.
City council endorsed the designation plan during a December meeting, in response to an application from the owner to tear down the building despite a 2008 agreement with the city to “retain the stone dwelling in a safe and secure condition” and to “pursue appropriate uses” for the former farmhouse.
Alternatively, the agreement allows for the building to be moved.
It was that 2008 agreement with the city which opened the door for parcels of land to be severed and sold off as the Southgate Business Park.
“It seems there was full knowledge when the property was severed,” Coun. Mark MacKinnon said during the December meeting, referring to the owner’s responsibilities, noting it's the development of neighbouring lots that prevents the farmhouse from being relocated.
No hearing date has been set for the appeal at this time; there’s a pre-hearing conference scheduled for April 28.
In response to a request for comment, Krista Walkey, the city's general manager of planning and building services, noted staff will be attending during the pre-conference hearing.
“Our client has no comment on this matter,” said Costello when contacted by GuelphToday regarding the appeal.
In the appeal package, Industrial Equities echoes concerns with the property delivered during a delegation to council in December – that the house isn’t serviced and a previous request to the city for servicing was denied; the owner has been unable to identify a sustainable adaptive re-use; the tile bed and septic tank were removed during development of the business park; and they’re unable to find a new home for it.
If the property is designated, the owner would have to receive council’s permission to make any alterations to the site that affect the property’s heritage value.
The Crawley farmhouse – once known as “Willowgrove” and more recently as Glencal Acres – has sat vacant for about 12 years.
On Oct. 16, the owner filed an application to tear down the building, which city staff denied. However, that started the clock ticking on a 60-day window for council to begin the designation process under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.
Prior to the demolition permit, city staff said they’d received an application for a parking lot on this property.
