Proposal to go before Niagara Escarpment Commission By RAY SPITERI Niagara Falls Review Updated 1 hour ago
The Stamford Centre Volunteer Firemen's Association want an assembly hall.
Now, it's up to city council to try and convince the Niagara Escarpment Commission to approve the construction of a two-storey, 1,233-square-metre building that will bring in revenue to support the volunteer organization.
The proposal is different than the one-storey, 692-square-metre private club the commission already granted a development permit for.
Construction was stopped by the city's building department when it was discovered the facility being constructed did not comply with the permits issued.
This week, city staff recommended to council that it not support the revised project because assembly halls — which provide for meetings of a civic, educational, political, religious, social or recreational nature — are not allowed to be built on open-space lands.
Private clubs — which provide a meeting place for members of a chartered organization — are allowed to be built on those lands.
But after discussing the matter, councillors voted to approve the assembly hall plan, except Coun. Janice Wing.
"I've been trying to determine, in my own mind, what the negative aspect of this project is?" said Coun. Wayne Thomson.
"You've got a volunteer group who have been there for 50 years. They do a tremendous amount of community work. They look after Firemen's Park.
"There has to be the opportunity for revenues to come in to carry on their projects, and do the work that they do."
Thomson pointed to other clubs who have halls similar to the one proposed by the association, including Club Italia.
"I see no reason why this shouldn't be an automatic approval. Because the initial plans were submitted, and they're changed, that's not proper protocol, but here it is, and is it going to be a negative for the community? I don't think so."
Firemen's Park is located at the corner of Mountain Rd. and Dorchester Rd., within the escarpment commission's plan area. Any development within the area requires the applicant to obtain a development permit from the commission prior to a building permit from a municipality.
Despite council's position, the commission overrides municipal jurisdiction. As such, the City is only a commenting agency. The commission may have regard for, but is not bound by, municipal comments.
City staff say the commission will have to determine whether a development proposal complies with the policies of its plan, and issue its decision accordingly.
"I have a problem with the fact that (the association) had no problem taking public money and they ended up not complying with the permits," said Wing.
"In keeping with my usual stand, I support staff, I support our planning policies that we put there for good reason, and despite the fact that this is a volunteer organization, which I agree has done good work, I have a problem with the principle with what's gone on."
In meetings with members of the club regarding the previous application, staff says City and commission officials were assured a private club, not an assembly hall, was being proposed.
"The current application, however, seeks the use of the building to more closely reflect an assembly hall," read a staff report given to council this week.
"Planning staff advised the commission that assembly halls are an urban use and are allowed in commercial areas, given the nature of the use and their impacts. It is for this reason assembly halls are not allowed outside the urban area.
"The use of the building under construction as an assembly hall is not consistent with a park or open-space area."
The occupancy of the assembly hall is proposed to be 350.
Staff has already suggested to the commission that it limit the project to a one-storey building, allow for no more than 100 people at a time, and that the facility only be utilized as a private club for association functions.
But during the council meeting, local politicians passed a motion introduced by Thomson, to approve the assembly hall project, and for the city's planning department and council to meet with, or write to, the commission to "obtain the appropriate approvals that are necessary."
"I don't understand how all these halls got built and then staff can't support the current proposal because it's outside the urban boundary," said Coun. Victor Pietrangelo, pointing to German Village and Arpad Hall.
"I think that every single one that we mentioned is outside the urban boundary."
Those facilities, however, don't sit on escarpment lands.
Pietrangelo said service clubs have to generate revenue because they have costs.
"The Stamford volunteer firemen do an excellent job of taking care of the park, and quite honestly, the city can't afford to take it on right now ... so we have to give them the ability to continue the good work that they do."
The commission is an agency of the provincial government. It's goal is to preserve the natural landscape of the escarpment, a corridor of green space through south-central Ontario.
Commission members represent municipalities and the public-at-large. The municipal member for Niagara is Pelham regional Coun. Brian Baty.
He could not be reached for comment as of this posting.
Nick Louras, president of the association, said a written letter of support from city council was sent to the commission Thursday.
He said the commission is scheduled to meet Oct. 20 and that his group plans to have all of its preliminary paperwork ready to present them at that session.
Louras said the association applied for a private club hall in 2006 before he became president.
"When I came aboard as chairman of the building committee, I saw what was proposed and I said it's not feasible to have a small clubhouse and support property taxes and the utilities and the park itself," said Louras.
"We have to design this to accommodate weddings, stags, presentations for businesses, community events."
He said the assembly hall proposal will also provide a private area for association members.
Louras said he is "90%" confident the commission will approve the proposal, largely because the majority of city councillors backed the plan.
"It will provide us enough money to continue helping the community out. We donate money to Tender Wishes and many charitable organizations.
Alex Herlovich, the city's director of planning, building and development, said council has already provided close to $33,000 in grants to cover costs associated with the private club plan.
Because the assembly hall proposal is 541-square-metres larger, he said there will be an additional $45,000 worth of fees if it goes ahead.
If the commission decides to issue a development permit for an assembly hall, any subsequent request from the association for relief from development charges or building permit fees would require review, and would be subject to budget considerations, he said.
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