Tribunal rehears proposal for 2 Homestead buildings on Queen and Ontario streets

Lawyers representing Homestead Landholdings, the city of Kingston, and the Frontenac Heritage Foundation presented opening statements at a Local Planning Appeal Tribunal rehearing on Monday morning.

The rehearing for the two apartment buildings proposed by Homestead is necessary following the LPAT’s initial rejection of the proposal and then its rescinding of that decision.

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The 19- and 23-storey apartment towers, proposed for two locations on Queen and Ontario streets, were originally rejected by the LPAT due to building heights and architectural designs that were not compatible with surrounding heritage buildings.

When the LPAT rescinded its original decision, it said that the city’s official plan wasn’t considered holistically and that policy objectives like brownfield remediation, housing supply and intensification were not properly considered.

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Lawyers representing the three parties seemed to agree that the crux of the dispute revolves centrally around building heights, public benefit, and visual intrusion.

David Donnelly, who represents the Frontenac Heritage Foundation, said in his opening that the foundation plans to introduce evidence that the developer could maintain the density of 200 apartments per building and keep the heights to 25.5 metres or approximately eight floors.

Plans for the Homestead buildings also include some retail and office space.