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St. Catharines city council has given the green light to allow a 61-unit development on a former rail right-of-way off Vine Street South.

The strip of property south of Yale Crescent was designated in the city’s official plan as parkland and open space but council heard the city has never had any intention of turning it into a park.

Planning and building services director Tami Kitay said the original rationale for the designation was to ensure the land could serve as a connection to future trails — a goal that can still be achieved with a two-metre sidewalk along Yale Crescent.

“None of the city’s parks master plans have ever identified an actual park in this area, it was only ever for a trail connection,” she said.

The 1.07-hectare property at 60 Vine St. S. is south of Yale Crescent between Vine and Berryman Avenue. It’s surrounded by businesses, including a construction equipment supplier, residences, Connaught Public School and an active Gio Rail Railway.

The land was a former rail right-of-way used for transporting goods for industrial uses in the area. It’s no longer used for rail activity. A section of track on the property will be removed.

A staff report said environmental assessments and remediation works are underway and a building permit won’t be issued until a record of site condition cleared by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks is submitted.

Kitay said council approval would not set a precedent for turning other greenspaces into residential lands, adding, “Every single application is reviewed and evaluated on its own merits.”

Council approved the official plan and zoning bylaw amendments to change the lands to medium density residential to allow the development of a two-storey triplex dwelling and 10 two-storey apartment buildings.

The buildings will look like 11 two-storey townhouse blocks but will be divided vertically and horizontally, with 36 ground floor units and 25 upper-storey units. Each block will have three to eight units.

The site will have 81 parking spaces in four areas and bicycle parking.

Applicant Tim Kenny told council the price range would be in the lower 25 per cent of new home sale prices in St. Catharines and the units will be part of a condominium corporation.

A public information session with detailed designs of the site will be held by city staff as part of the site plan process.

Mayor Walter Sendzik said it is an “innovative” project to bring housing to the community.

“This looks to be a good adaptive reuse of space that will also clean up the land that is adjacent to an elementary school.”

The motion passed by council included a direction from Merritton Coun. Lori Littleton, who noted residents have raised the issue of closing of Berryman Avenue to through traffic in that area because of traffic concerns.

She asked that staff be directed to review the need and opportunity to close Berryman Avenue to through traffic at a point between Richmond Avenue and Yale Crescent, following the appropriate consultation process and provincial legislation.

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