Guelph City Council finally gave approval to the redevelopment of the former Biltmore Hats location Monday night, but it also decided to keep an eye on future traffic and parking issues that development might cause.
Council voted unanimously to approve the development of the site, located at the northwest corner of York Road and Morris Street. Various versions of the development have been in the works for several years.
The site will now be home to a three-storey, 42-unit apartment/commercial complex that will front onto York Road and 20 townhomes that will front onto Morris Street, sharing 10 driveways.
But concerns over traffic flow and density in the area as well as potential on-street parking woes didn't escape council's attention.
It passed a motion asking city staff to review the parking and traffic situation approximately one year after the completion of the development.
"This signals to the community that we acknowledge there could be issues and this signals to the community that we are going to follow up," Mayor Cam Guthrie said.
"We're actually causing the problem," said Ward 1 councillor Bob Bell.
The new development is expected to garner $1 million in development fees from the developer and another roughly $160,000 in tax revenue.
The development has had to clear several hurdles since first proposed, including the number of units, conflicts with nearby Owens Corning and issues with Transport Canada regarding separation between the apartment complex and the Guelph Junction Railway line that runs through the area.
Bruce Bennett, representing the nearby Guelph Little Theatre, said they are not fundamentally opposed to the project but worried about parking issues that could affect the theatre. He was also worried about the theatre's marquee not being seen by York Road traffic.
He said the theatre would have to start locking up its parking lot and asked council to consider allowing on-street parking on the east side of Morris Street.
Local resident Susan Stauffer told council her main concern was safety and asked council to consider four-way stops along nearby Beverley Street.
"The biggest concern my family and my neighbours have is that this has become a really dangerous route," Stauffer said.
Michael Brody wrote to council that Harris Street has become "a parking lot at night."
Nancy Shoemaker, a planning consultant for the developer, 139 Morris Holdings, said the development fits into the call for more infill and higher density within aging neighbourhoods.
Shoemaker noted that historic items from the iconic Biltmore Hats factory have been donated to the Guelph Civic Museum.
