In its virtual meeting on Wednesday, Innisfil Town Council was asked to consider donating the vacant town-owned property at 3122 – 25 Sideroad to Habitat for Humanity Huronia, for an affordable and ‘sustainable’ housing development.
The town purchased the property in 1979. At the time, the deed contained a clause stating that the land could only be used for a fire hall.
Now, more than 40 years later, the new Big Bay Point Fire Station is completed and in operation, and the restriction on use has lapsed, allowing the town to look at other possible uses for the 3900 sq. m. plot of land, that fronts on 25 SR and abuts the Sandycove Acres retirement community.
The proposed donation to Habitat for Humanity would allow the creation of a passive house-certified multi-family residential development, that would increase the amount of affordable housing in Innisfil.
Before the issue came up on the agenda, council heard from a number of local residents expressing concerns, and received a petition opposed to the donation.
Carley Mellan, a resident of 25 Sideroad, was not opposed but wanted to ensure the development will fit the neighbourhood.
“I’m not a “Not in My Backyard” person. I support Habitat for Humanity,” Mellan said, as long as the project is “aligned with the character of the neighbourhood.”
She noted that the land has been used as open space over the decades, and all of the homes in the area are single-storey residences. She expressed her support for the project “if they can fit with what is already here,” but not “if anything more than a single storey is put there.”
Residents raised concerns about increased traffic on 25 Sideroad, loss of green space, potential impact on private wells and lack of servicing. Others worried about decreased property values and an increase in crime, if affordable housing were approved for the area.
“Habitat for Humanity is an organization that stands for community involvement, that stands for family empowerment… We are not social housing or government housing in any aspect of what we do,” explained Habitat for Humanity Huronia CEO Robert Cikoja, answering some of the concerns.
There has been no increase in crime, or reduction in property values resulting from any Habitat build, he said; in fact, in Barrie, “we’ve begun the gentrification” in at least one area.
“Having our families in your neighbourhood – you’d never know it,” Cikoja said. “Crime has never been a factor for any Habitat for Humanity build.”
Habitat for Humanity provides a ‘hand up, not a hand out’; any family approved for a Habitat for Humanity home is carefully vetted, and must be able to show at least two years of steady employment, earning a minimum of $40,000 per year, before they are eligible.
There is no down payment required; instead, families must put in 500 hours of “sweat equity,” working on the build, or working for Habitat for Humanity.
It leads to pride of ownership, he said, and tends to select “strong community-involved families.”
There’s an economic benefit to Habitat for Humanity homes in a community – including less reliance on food banks and social housing, more money spent in the community, more engagement, better health outcomes, he said.
And if a family wishes to move on and remove their equity, Habitat for Humanity, which holds the zero percent interest mortgage, will repurchase the property.
“We don’t sell homes off,” Cikoja explained. “We keep homes in our hands in perpetuity,” refurbishing the home for the next family.
The ‘Passive Home' project in Innisfil will be a first for Habitat for Humanity. “What that does is give more energy efficiency to our families,” he said, cutting energy costs by 30-40 percent.
“I’m hoping Innisfil looks at us and wants us as part of the community,” he said. “Our families will make us proud. They are hard-working, mortgage-owning, that take pride of ownership.”
Deputy Mayor Dan Davidson asked if Habitat for Humanity had considered building single-storey residences geared towards persons with disabilities.
“The costs start to outweigh the ability to make it affordable housing,” Cikoja replied – although Habitat for Humanity in Winnipeg was able to build accessible homes, through a partnership with various manufacturers.
“We get a lot of requests for accessible homes,” he acknowledged.
Coun. Donna Orsatti asked if the housing would be available for seniors, as well as families.
Cikoja said that Habitat used to have a strict definition of family (two parents, and at least one child under 16), but has now eased those restrictions to include single-parent families, and seniors.
Asked about the nature of the development, he noted that in the past, Habitat built largely single family residences. With costs increasing, the organization began building semis and townhomes.
“We are looking at high density development now,” although always in keeping with the surrounding neighbourhood, he said. In Innisfil, “we want to maximize the space” – building between 18 and 25 preferably two-storey units, each with at least three bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths.
“It’s something that we would work together with the Town and the planning department, to see what would fit.”
There is no waiting list for the units but if the project moves forward, Habitat for Humanity will encourage applications from within the Huronia catchment area – from Bradford north to Line 7 in Oro-Medonte, and west to Alliston.
“Ninety-nine percent of our homeowners are local,” Cikoja said.
Innisfil Director of Growth Tim Cane assured council that there will be numerous opportunities to present the details to the public.
The land is currently designated Parks and Open Space in the Official Plan, but is zoned Residential Special Community. For the Habitat for Humanity build to proceed, the property will need an Official Plan Amendment, Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval, as well as approvals from the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority.
Later in the meeting, council debated the donation, and expressed their support.
“I’d like people to educate themselves on Habitat for Humanity. It’s not social housing,” said Deputy Mayor Dan Davidson.
Coun. Rob Nicol noted that a firehall on the property, as originally planned, would have had far more impact on the neighbours. “This much more passive use will be appreciated in years to come.”
“They are such a great organization for our community to partner with,” said Coun. Kevin Eisses.
Councillors Alex Waters, Kevin Eisses and Carolyn Payne offered to volunteer on the Innisfil Habitat for Humanity build.
“I think this is a great project, and I put my name in for it as well,” Payne said. “I’m going to help as much as I can.”
Council voted unanimously to approve the donation of land.
The property was valued at $425,000 in 2019. Because the town is donating the land, staff have recommended charging Habitat for Humanity the full cost of building permit fees and development charges, which could come to $400,000 to $500,000.
However, staff also proposed that the town waive planning fees for the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments, and Site Plan application, totalling $6,755, and offset staffing costs to review the project by using funds left in Capital Projects.
Cane noted that this is just the start of a process, that will look at design, setbacks, traffic impacts, and built form.
“There is a full planning process that we will require, including public meetings and public open houses,” Cane said, ending with a “great project for the community.”
