RELEASE — At its May 21 meeting, council will consider a proposed Interim Control Bylaw (report 19-152) for the Williamsville corridor, that would pause the consideration of planning approvals for new buildings that exceed current development permissions.
The Interim Control Bylaw (ICBL) is in response to council’s request to complete an update the Williamsville Main Street Study and would be in effect for a period of one year. Applications that respect the existing zoning in the corridor are able to proceed during the time that ICBL is in place.
Complete applications and developments that have already received council approval will not be affected and are able to obtain building permits. At present there are 1,078 approved units for the Williamsville corridor that can proceed to building permit during the time the ICBL would be in effect. An additional 539 proposed units for the Williamsville corridor will continue through the planning process over the next year. The proposed interim control bylaw would also allow the consideration of minor variance applications for projects seeking minimal relief from the approved zoning.
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“The City remains committed to supporting ongoing housing growth by ensuring that current approvals remain unaffected by this. Updating the Williamsville Main Street study will allow staff to ensure future projects reflect good design and proper built form while fulfilling the vision in the City’s Official Plan,” says Paige Agnew, director of planning, building and licensing.
The proposed interim control bylaw is part of an update to the Williamsville Main Street Study to ensure that future development in the corridor helps to fulfill the vision set out in the Official Plan and the City’s recent commitments to climate action and GHG reduction.
Kingston Development Facts
- A total of 1,078 residential units have already been approved for the Williamsville area and are waiting to begin construction.
- An additional 539 residential units are under review and are exempted from the interim control bylaw.
- Over 70 planned units are located adjacent to the Williamsville Main Street Corridor.
- 645 units will need to be added to the current housing supply, in addition to the current growth rates, to bring the vacancy rate to 3 per cent, which is considered to be a “healthy” municipal vacancy rate.
- Building permits have been filed for 476 residential units in 2019, compared to a total of 137 permits filed in 2018.
Learn more about current projects in the Williamsville corridor at CityofKingston.ca/Projects.
Learn about the City’s mid-rise and tall building design policies at CityofKingston.ca/DensitybyDesign.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Laslovarga)
Release: City of Kingston
