In the midst of housing challenges, the Town of Huntsville is seeking input from the community through a survey about what it considers “significant views” as it contemplates more dense and higher development proposals within the urban service area.
The survey will be available from October 24 to November 22, 2024.
In the midst of housing challenges, the Town of Huntsville says it is proactively taking steps to implement the Strategic Plan priority of “balanced growth” through a responsible and cautious approach.
“It is incredibly important that Huntsville balances the need for affordable housing and growth with the preservation of our Town’s character, natural landscape and ‘Muskoka feel.’ A key element in strategic planning for growth is to preserve character by maintaining ‘Significant Views’ so that we can consider height and density in appropriate locations. We are seeking public feedback on Huntsville’s Significant Views to assist in creating this type of criteria for future development,” noted Councillor Bob Stone, Chair of the Planning Council, in a release issued by the municipality today.
Planning staff completed a Height & Density Background Review and Directions Report in April 2024 that indicated the need for enhanced planning policy tools. As a next step, the Town says it is seeking public input on “Significant Views” to inform the Height and Density Evaluation Criteria.
“Huntsville faces growing demands for housing, including proposals for development of increasing height and density. We would like the community’s input as we develop Height and Density Evaluation Criteria for these types of proposals, so that we can preserve Huntsville’s character and natural beauty,” said Richard Clark, Manager of Planning at the Town of Huntsville. “What do you think are Huntsville’s most ‘Significant Views’? Public feedback gained through our survey will help determine suitable locations for increased height and/or density.”
According to the release, the survey is the first opportunity for public engagement which will be used to help determine the Height & Density Evaluation Criteria for developed by the Town’s Planning Department. Once drafted, a pubic meeting will be hosted to get further community feedback. The proposed guidelines will then be presented to council.
What is “Height and Density”? Why is it important as the Town grows and develops?
Height and density standards are outlined within the Community Planning Permit Bylaw (CPPBL). These standards come from the height and density policies associated with residential and mixed-use development proposals outlined in the Town’s Official Plan.
Currently, in the CPPBL, the maximum permitted height for multiple dwellings (apartment buildings) is 11m and the maximum permitted density is 60 units per hectare. The Community Planning Permit Bylaw also defines how height is to be measured. “Currently, if an application is proposed with height or density that is over and above the CPPBL provisions, staff and council are required to evaluate the request using general criteria, including requirements for Community Benefits. A revised, more detailed set of criteria and guidelines will assist by helping all to understand where additional height and density is appropriate, but also where it’s not. This will also be a tool to help developers prepare proposals that will minimize impacts, achieve community benefits, and limit review times to address current housing needs,” states the release.
Again, the community survey is available HERE.
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Judy smith says
Worried about density / height of buildings, why has there not been a building (Apartment) put on the empire lot. The property is there, it’s an eyesore, right in the center of town. Existing historic use… kind of obvious to the normal citizen of Huntsville.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Had a look at the Survey and found it to be difficult to navigate the map they have provided. Not finding space provided elsewhere for narratives of views enjoyed, photos or general comments. I realize they are trying to get very specific data but also wondering if “views” captures the significant experiences with natural landscape that may be wider than visual – sounds ( birds?), silence, smells, coolness, feeling underfoot or the face, humidity, which is relevant when considering density and community benefit. Also depends on where the individuals are situated- in your neighbourhood, parking lots, on the road driving, walking a certain road, on your deck or balcony, in your backyard etc. We probably do not consciously realize what is significant ( like the trees around the former Waterloo Centre area) until they are gone. would be great if we could share these experiences and check some of them out before someone builds a wall, clears an area for “needed” housing and pavement.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I agree with Judy, the empire used to house lots of peopl, wld be a great use of space.
I find tht the public has repeatedly called for ACTUAL affordabl housing, esp for the wrking poor in this twn….nothng ever happns.
I kno of one man whos buildng somewhat affordabl options but he cant house the 100’s who need it.
All we ever get are luxury condos or mansions….and a $500,000 condo is NOT affordable housing.
The only othr potential options is the muskoka rent-geared-to-income list wher yes, its actually affordabl but its housing thts takn up mostly by peopl with mental health and addiction issues so makes for a miserabl place to live with crime, peopl fightng at all hours, no peace, and tht doesnt wrk for thos of us who dont hav thos struggles, who jst want a safe place to live so we can get to wrk the nxt day and try to get ahead (hard to get ahead whn addicts keep breakng into your car at night or stealing your gas, damaging your vehicle, wakng everyone in the building up with ranting and screaming and fightng).
Huntsville has a real problm with valueing its hard wrkers, its all about massive profit….short term som will def get rich, longterm this town will fall apart…we’v already got peopl drivng here to wrk frm north bay and othr places, they cant do tht mch longer, jst not worth it and whn they do all figure out tht they cannot get ahead here tjeyll all be leaving (not unlike my son who wrked at MMM and Kimberly Clark but moved to alberta becaus evn with both jobs he cldnt afford rent here, took every last penny so he left).
Joy barton says
Affordable housing for residents of Huntsville is not being built. Luxury condos and apartments are going up all over the town so developers can make their very large profits. The current height and density regulations at least mean that we can keep Huntsville’s uniqueness- and not end up like every other town, which, given the fact that our economy relies very heavily on tourism is very important.
The major problem however is the lack of infrastructure to support all this new development. Our hospital is swamped, our schools are overflowing, our doctors disappearing by the bucket load, and it seems no thought is being given to any of this.
Maybe it’s time to really take stock and sort out our priorities once and for all.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
We could, you know, stop creating the need for more housing. Just saying.
Jon Fairley says
The town could benefit from a change of perspective here. Instead of protecting our important views, why not look at our eyesores? You can keep and improve housing stock, and better the feel of the town all in one go?
I understand the need for housing, every town needs the ability to grow sustainably, but we rely on tourism. If we keep building bigger, we lose what makes us… us? We lose what makes us a destination for tourism.
Time for those in council to make big decisions. Stop providing zoning ammendments to the big builders, and protect our green spaces, our shorelines, and our identity.
I’m personally not opposed to height increases, or density increases, as long as we can do so without damaging what makes us great. Our trees, our views, our community. Let’s start re-imagining our problem areas before we even talk about protecting views.
There is huge potential here in Huntsville if we listen to the amazing residents that make us what we are.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
The only way to achieve affordability in the housing market is to deregulate the entire sector an allow any form of shelter to be built. Affordability will devastate a huge segment of the population forcing more to live in tent cities throughout the country as we are witnessing . Can you imagine being forced to live in a tent in Canada.
Btw paying municipalities and cities to do their job will not address the housing shortage in any way. This option will only increase taxes on an overburdened society. Why would you pay a level of government more money if their own housing regulations are the root of the problem? The cost of finger pointing at all levels of government is escalating at an alarming rate.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
This survey is ridiculous. What a waste of time and energy. I sure hope that we didn’t pay too much for this to be developed. Very sad!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
The survey is not at all what I had expected. I’ll leave it at that.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I hope this survey did not take up too much of our town’s resources to come up with a thing like this, maybe they could spend their time helping visitors finding parking, around town.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Total waste of time and tax dollars.
You have to be a computer wiz just to understand it!
How many comments were lost because of difficulty negotiating the site?
Perhaps that was the idea???