Proposed setback going from 7.5-metres to zero sparks debate

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Pouget said “I don’t think there’s one person on this council that doesn’t want a hotel in downtown Amherstburg” but there are concerns about “pitting one neighbour against each other.” She asked where the staging area would be. Architect Jerry Cavanaugh said the plan would be to use the laneway in the back, adding a precast system would be used and assembled in a sixweek time period.

Cavanaugh assured Pouget it would not block the Salmoni Condominium parking area, but Councillor Molly Allaire noted businesses on the other side would be impacted and have parking reduced. Cavanaugh said it would be a matter of scheduling when crews would be on site.

Allaire questioned why setbacks are created to begin with, believing granting the setback could create “a zig-zag pattern” that wouldn’t be as aesthetically pleasing. She also asked when construction could begin, if approved.

Peddie said demolition and foundation could start if and when approved, with precast components expected to take 20 weeks to arrive.

Without a 7.5-metre setback, accessible units would not be feasible, and the hotel could not be developed, Davidson told council, in answering a question from Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb.

“Everyone wants to see the hotel,” said Councillor Peter Courtney, later asking if the location was the optimal one.

Courtney wanted to know what has changed since the previous council was told the current building, a former art studio and residence, would be demolished late last year and foundations poured yet that has not actually occurred yet. Peddie said they continue to work with their architects, rework floorplans, and they realized they need deeper units particularly for the accessible units.

Garbage bins, grease traps and recycling containers are needed, Courtney stated, and wondered where that would go. Peddie said they are in discussions to use the same area that 258 Dalhousie St., adding there is some space in the basement area of their own building.

Courtney said the hotel would make the space “more robust” but there are concerns over sunlight and parking, noting that setbacks are to prevent conflicts between abutting buildings. He noted there were setbacks reduced for the Salmoni Condominiums but not as much as the current request, and asked whether a similar distance could be used for the hotel.

“At this point it’s all or nothing,” said Peddie.

Peddie said there were compromises that were looked at but, in the end, they were not willing to take the risk unless they can have all the space. She said it is an ideal spot for a hotel because it’s downtown and there are a number of people walking in the area.

Councillor Don McArthur said “we’ve already done this” with the Salmoni Condominiums at 4.5 metres so the proponents would have had to come to council anyway.

Of approximately 60 submitted letters read into the record by clerk Kevin Fox, roughly 80 per cent were in favour of the hotel. The ACOC said they were in “full support of the new boutique hotel” as did the Amherstburg Freedom Museum, the latter noting calling the hotel as a way to “attract and retain visitors for longer stays in Amherstburg.”

Orr wrote: “The upscale Victorian hotel would fulfill a major vacancy in Amherstburg, that of having a very limited number of options for overnight stays. Providing amenities including an event space which holds up to 50 for meetings or small weddings, a restaurant, and offering e-bike rentals, the demand will be met with great anticipation by out-of-town visitors, alongside the corporate and wedding markets. With key trip motivators within the area such as food and drink (including wineries, breweries, a distillery, and farm-to-table dining experiences); a return to many in-person festivals and events, coupled with unique attractions and experiences, it behooves the Town to consider adding this type of accommodation to further drive overnight stays to the town.”

Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Runaway Farms Sanctuary and Fortis Group also offered support.

Carolyn Zahorak supported it, saying a hotel is needed and it would bring growth, economic development and commercial tax dollars, adding refusing it would send a message that Amherstburg council is “difficult to deal with.” Charlene Wolff also supported it, believing it would add to the town she moved to with her husband in 1998. and Pepper Cat restaurant owner Kevin Lafontaine believed “this is exactly the type of facility needed desperately in Amherstburg.” Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards president Tom O’Brien also supported the project.

Anna Marano and Simon Briggs, owners of The Panetteria, said the Peddies are their landlords and have demonstrated “first-hand experience in the attention to detail and research” on projects, adding they believe a hotel would have a positive impact on the local economy.

Residents Dennis and Debbie White supported the hotel, saying “we love the direction the downtown is taking.” Eric and April Farron were among those who stated they would be able to lodge guests in town rather than sending them to Windsor, should the hotel be approved.

Esther Reaume, manager of White Woods Home, spoke of the tourism industry and believed a hotel “would give Amherstburg a distinct advantage in this market.” River Bookshop lead bookseller Meghan Desjardins said the store has seen increased business and believes that would continue with a hotel in town. Taylor Sutts, another bookshop employee, believed a hotel would give people an opportunity to stay and spend more time in Amherstburg.

Nadine Bradacs praised the Peddies for working “so hard to create such an amazing community in Amherstburg” and believed the hotel will fit along Dalhousie St. well.

Ron Deneau was one of the realtors who supported the project, noting there are “not a lot of investors that would come to our town to put something like this up.”

“Please do not allow a handful of negative people to stand in the way of this gem,” Deneau urged council. “This will be a catalyst for future investors to build off of.”

Rosemary O’Connell said she is proud to call Amherstburg home and that “the loss of this opportunity would be shameful and a huge deterrent to other investors thinking of taking a chance on this town.”

Neighbour Andrea Drozdek opposed it because “a scenic, unobstructed view is now at risk of being involuntary taken from us,” adding concerns over vehicle and pedestrian visibility. Another in opposition was Bill Petruniak, who called the proposal “completely self-serving and completely ignore the rights of neighbouring property owners.”

Petruniak thanked the Peddies in-person and said “everyone wants a hotel,” but suggested other properties in Amherstburg for it.

Dave and Carolyn Deline opposed the request, citing sightline concern as well as potential parking issues. Colleen Fox also opposed, believing “the safety issue is dire for those blindly exiting from the Salmoni Building.” Fox also believed a change would set a precedent.

Jan Martlin opposed it for numerous reasons including transparency, property values, views from the Salmoni Condominiums, precedent, stormwater management concerns, lack of greenspace and lack of area for service vehicles and staff parking.

Lauri Brouyette, who is also building a boutique hotel on the second floor of the building being renovated at Murray St. and Ramsay St., also wrote of her support for the Peddie project.

Dr. Lisa Porter said she regularly hosts visitors for the University of Windsor and WE-SPARK Health Institute and believed a hotel “seems like a logical win for the town and its residents.”

“This hotel is greatly needed in Amherstburg and the more it has to offer, the better the experience for the guests/customers,” said resident Janet Gardiner.

Frank DiPasquale supported the hotel, saying it could boost the Libro Centre and nature trails, adding “a hotel on Dalhousie St. is not a new concept” citing former hotels that once stood there. Gena Boschin, sales and marketing director for Bois Blanc Island, cited the need for hotel space while she also pointed out increased economic development.

Janet Willoughby noted she “was not thrilled” when Richmond Terrace Long Term Care home expanded near her home with a three-story wall nearby but “I learned to live with it knowing that the addition was what the town needed.” She said she finds it “encouraging and exciting” investors want to make the town attractive to residents and tourists.

Jasminka Kalajdzic, a resident of the Salmoni Condominiums, said she actually supported the hotel, citing the town’s need for one. She believed it could help property values and local businesses. Jen DesjardinsGrondin, co-owner of G.L. Heritage Brewing Co., believed the hotel could help all businesses significantly “even to those of us on the outskirts.”

Remo and Jo-Anne Mancini believed the hotel “would be a great asset to our town” while Karen Rosati added there is a “beautiful two-pad arena” with few tournaments due to a lack of accommodations. Tim Duby and Kathryn Meloche Duby said “it would be a shame if this project was not able to move forward.”

Kenneth Morrison was one of the residents that believed a hotel would provide an alternative to shortterm rentals that continue “to impact residential areas.”

Steve Wilson, president of Oxley Estate Winery, wrote of the impacts hotels have on tourism, while Salty Dog

Martlin later told council in-person there would be zero greenspace and believed it was the responsibility of government to ensure there is adequate greenspace. She said future developers won’t allow for greenspace on their properties if requests like this are granted.

Terry Sunderland wrote on behalf of his mother Margaret Beaudoin, who lives at the Salmoni Condominiums, and said they oppose the proposed amendment for a number of reasons. Those include concerns over encroaching on Navy Yard Park, the quality of life for condominium owners, traffic and parking, construction noise and debris, and property values.

Michael Renaud also cited traffic and safety concerns for vehicles and pedestrians. Sharon Colman added her concerns over the proposed setback as she too had issues with views and safety risks. Colman further questioned what would happen if the hotel were to ever be converted to apartments. Gord and Diane Freeman also expressed concern and opposition in their letters to the town, also citing safety and encroachment concerns.

According to a report from manager of planning services Chris Aspila, he stated the redevelopment “provides an opportunity for investment in the Town’s downtown core.”

“The proposed development will provide Amherstburg with a desirable overnight accommodation option, which will provide visitors with an option to spend the night in Amherstburg. Overnight visitors are more likely to spend their money locally, providing an economic benefit for local retail and food vendors. The proposed building will be an attractive addition to Dalhousie Street, providing a further sense of place and pride in the Town’s downtown core. The level of investment proposed for the building could be a catalyst for further investment in the downtown core and the central business area,” Aspila stated in his report.

Robert Brown, a planner representing residents in the Salmoni Condominiums, had a differing viewpoint, calling for council to have a report detailing pros and cons of the request. He accused the administrative report of being “somewhat biased to the developer.”

Brown said a justification report prepared by the developer speaks little of impacts to its neighbours at 252 Dalhousie St.