Duane Hicks
Three times in the past 21 years, several town councils have considered re-zoning the so-called “Nelson Street Park” for residential development and the majority of each council ultimately voted against it.
But with the lot clearly defined as a desirable property which possibly would generate income to put into further residential development, those fighting for the park had better produce a strong case at a public meeting set for Dec. 12 to allow citizens to speak either in opposition to, or in favour of, the intended re-zoning, Coun. Ken Perry said in an interview Monday.
Council had initiated a review of town properties as part of its most recent strategic plan, with the aim to determine whether there was a need for residential lots.
And if so, identify which ones would be available without a significant financial outlay or delay.
During the review, the “Nelson Street Park” came up as a property which readily could be re-zoned, divided into five lots, and sold.
“Contractors and developers have approached the town at different times asking to look into re-zoning it to residential from ‘open space,’” Coun. Perry noted.
“The last time it happened was three or four years ago, and I think council was pretty well split on the decision–it was 4-3 leaving it the way it is.
“I was also in favour of leaving it the way it was because I can’t see taking an open space and turning it into residential if you don’t really need to,” he admitted.
“But many, many people have identified that property as being desirable—desirable meaning they would purchase property and build houses and right about now, that’s what we need in Fort Frances.
“We need people building houses
“If desirable property is what we need to work on, that’s the deal,” Coun. Perry added.
“Nelson Street is easy to develop. The sewer and water runs right by the door, the storm sewer’s close, hydro’s there, telephone, all the good stuff is there.
“It would be one of the least expensive pieces of property to develop into five or six lots,” he stressed. “They’d 50-55 ft. lots, which is a nice size for residential [development].
“We think there’s enough interest that those lots would go fairly quickly.”
Coun. Perry said the official plan identifies several properties for building houses on, but “it doesn’t seem anybody wants to take the bull by the horns and develop it” due to the cost.
“What’s the town going to do? Jump into a 24-lot subdivision or a 70-lot subdivision, and hang onto that property forever,” wondered Coun. Perry. “Or develop five or six lots that we know we’re going to sell right away, and give us a little bit of money so that we can go and develop a few more and then a few more?
“I think that’s where council’s coming from.”
Coun. Perry said council feels “Nelson Street Park” is a “very under-used piece of property,” and felt he was being misled as to how much the property was utilized back in 2008.
“I didn’t vote against it last time because I thought it was being used,” he remarked. “I didn’t want to see open space gobbled up by development.”
Council’s intention to re-zone the corner of Minnie Avenue and Front Street from “commercial” to “open space” satisfies him as he doesn’t want to all the open space used up in that part of town.
But Coun. Perry said that this time, he has no doubt the property is rarely used.
“I watched a soccer ball in the middle of the field there for 18 months. It never moved,” he noted.
“Well, it must have moved. The guys from the town must have kicked it around when they cut the grass.
“I could finger the day it got there,” he added. “I was working on a house right beside that property. I worked there for four months one summer.
“I’d never seen anyone playing there until one evening, at 6:50 p.m., a father and son showed up, kicked that soccer ball around, and at about 7:20 they left the area and the soccer ball sat that forever.
“People want a big backyard, and I don’t think we’re willing to just give people big backyards at no cost,” Coun. Perry later added.
Since 2008, every member of council has been watching the property, Coun. Perry said, and none of them has ever seen anyone playing there.
“If they come to council lying to us, for sure I am going to vote in favour of turning it into residential.
“I don’t want no more lies,” he stressed.
“I’ll still listen to good reasons to leave it the way it is. I will listen to good reasons,” Coun. Perry stressed. “But they better be good reasons.”
In addition to the “Nelson Street Park” property, council directed at its Nov. 14 meeting that the unopened portion of Holmes Avenue lying south of Riverview Drive, as well as the unopened portion of Elm Avenue lying south of Riverview Drive, both be stopped up and closed, declared surplus, and surveyed as may be necessary to produce residential lots on each.
As previously reported, council also directed the town-owned Huffman School property, Lillie Avenue property, and Erin Crescent properties be referred to the Planning and Development executive committee for further evaluation, with input from the Operations and Facilities executive committee.
This further evaluation is necessary to determine possible financial implications and options for lot layout and other applicable issues.
