Owners of a large former industrial site in Belleville’s east end are taking some steps toward turning it into a residential area.
Consultants for the owners, a numbered company, appeared before the city’s Planning Committee Monday night asking for an Official Plan amendment that would allow housing and commercial development at the former Bakelite site on Dundas Street East.
It would be known as “Osprey Shores.”
Under the city’s Official Plan all of the almost 32 hectares of land is in an Environmental Protection zone and can’t be developed.
Any new residential development on the land would require additional planning applications.
The proposal calls for a mixture of single detached townhomes, apartments and a multi-use trail network.
Although some environmental assessments on the property have been done, more clean up work is necessary before the province gives final approval.
The natural heritage features and associated buffers remain designated as Environmental Protection.
The property is the former site of the Bakelite Thermostat plant, which manufactured synthetic plastic-based appliances, dinner plates and other household items.
The manufacturing resulted in a variety of chemical by-products being released and contaminating the site. Due to these industrial activities further technical analysis and site remediation must occur prior to any residential development.
In 2012, the city approved an application under Brownfield Community Improvement Plan to assist with costs associated with environmental studies of the site.
Former Bakelite property, now Osprey Shores, December 7, 2020 (Screenshot)
The final design of the development including street network, density and total number of units, will be confirmed through future planning applications.
The intent now is to receive public feedback and incorporate it into a recommendation report from staff.
Resident Cathy Lake expressed concerns about biodiversity and what would happen to the protected land on the site.
When asked by Mayor Mitch Panciuk about future public access for the city’s Bayshore Trail through the property, owner Bernie Ouellet told the committee he would welcome that.
“We’re more than ready to do that,” he said, indicating the trail area might be deeded to the city.
Mayor Panciuk commented.
“Allow you to recoup the investment you made, which again we’re grateful for the fact you cleaned up the site but at the same time preserved the green space, the wetlands, the flood mitigating area.”
Any new residential development on the land would require additional planning applications.
