MUNICIPAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

Wednesday, September 06, 2023 at 6:00 P.m. - 9:00 P.m.

Council Chambers

A link to the live webcasting of this meeting will appear here once the meeting is live.

Members Present:

• Drew Chapman - Chair, 
• Amanda Demers - Vice Chair, 
• Councillor Tim Balasiuk, 
• Councillor Gary Burroughs, 
• Rita Trudeau, 
• Brian Marshall, 
• John Morley, 
• and Alexander Topps 

Members Absent:

• David Snelgrove 

Staff Present:

• Rick Wilson - Manager of Planning, 
• Denise Horne - Heritage Planner, 
• Sumra Zia - Heritage Planner , 
• and Shannon Mista - (A) Deputy Clerk 

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Drew Chapman, Chair at 6:00 p.m.

2.

ADOPTION OF AGENDA

Denise Horne, Heritage Planner requested to add an announcement and one new item of business to the agenda.

John Morley asked to add a Correspondence to the agenda.

Moved by Councillor Balasiuk that the agenda be adopted as amended.

3.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

There were none. 

4.

PREVIOUS MINUTES

The August 2, 2023, minutes were received.

5.

PRESENTATIONS

There were none. 

6.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Denise Horne, Heritage Planner introduced the new Heritage Planner Sumra Zia.

7.

CORRESPONDENCE

John Morley asked that the article from the Globe and Mail be circulated to the other members.

8.

BUSINESS

8.1

Notice of Intent to Demolish - 325 King Street (Parliament Oak School) - Complete Notice - CDS-23-190 - (File # OPA-01-2023, ZBA-01-2023, HER-07-2023)

Denise Horne, Heritage Planner described the details of the Notice of Intent to Demolish and supporting materials.

In attendance to represent the application were Sara Premi of Sullivan Mahoney, Lashia Jones of Stantec, and David Riley of SGL Planning.

The Committee reviewed the attached materials submitted as part of the review of the Notice of Intent to Demolish. Denise Horne answered questions regarding the staff report. It was suggested that the bas-relief panels be located on King Street and inspired by the original Art Moderne style of the former school building, not the proposed new hotel design, and may be incorporated within a garden. It was suggested that the stylized acorn on top of the proposed commemoration wall be removed.

Motion moved by Councillor Balasiuk that the following Staff recommendations be considered by Council.

1.1    The information and materials submitted with the Notice of Intention to Demolish the former Parliament Oak School building at 325 King Street be received;
1.2    The recommendations within Section 9 of the Stantec Heritage Impact Assessment for 325 King Street, dated June 23, 2023, be endorsed;
1.3    The commemorative approach and recommendations within Sections 3 and 4 of the Stantec Commemoration Plan for 325 King Street, dated June 23, 2023, be endorsed in principle with the following amendments to the commemorative approach for consideration by the proponent:
      1.3.1    That the text bas-relief panel on the 1948 school façade be salvaged and incorporated for interpretation within any new development                      on the subject property;
      1.3.2    The proponent considers the reuse of the bas-relief panels in a location fronting King Street on the subject property;
      1.3.3    The 1947 cornerstone be reused within any new development on the subject property;
1.4    The recommendations for Salvage, Removal, and Storage in Section 5 of the Stantec Documentation and Salvage Report for 325 King Street, dated August 2, 2023, be endorsed;
1.5    The Demolition Waste Management Plan prepared by Stantec, dated August 2, 2023, be endorsed; and
1.6    The Municipal Heritage Committee provides input to Staff regarding the proposed recommendations within the reports and the commemorative approach for the subject property.

APPROVED

8.2

325 King Street (Parliament Oak School) - Review of Heritage Impact Assessment - CDS-23-199

Denise Horne, Heritage Planner described the details of the Heritage Impact Assessment and associated Planning Act Applications.

In attendance to represent the application were Sara Premi of Sullivan Mahoney, Lashia Jones of Stantec, and David Riley of SGL Planning.

The Committee reviewed the attached materials submitted as part of the review of the Heritage Impact Assessment for the suggested use of a temporary Heritage Easement Agreement for the salvage, storage, and reuse of identified heritage attributes with any new development on the subject property, and input regarding potential impacts to cultural resources and mitigation measures.

Motion moved by Councillor Burroughs that the following Staff recommendations be considered by Council.

1.1    Council delegate, to the Director of Community and Development Services, the ability to enter into a temporary Heritage Easement Agreement with the property owner of 325 King Street, for the salvage, storage, and reuse of identified heritage attributes and elements within any new development on the subject property; and
1.2    The Municipal Heritage Committees provide input regarding potential impacts on cultural heritage resources and any suggested mitigation measures.

APPROVED

8.3

40 Platoff Street - Request for Comments - Construction of Two-Storey Addition - CDS-23-198 (File # HER-28-2023)

Denise Horne, Heritage Planner described the details of the proposed construction of a two-storey addition and presented two options as put forward by the applicant.

The property owner, Peter Hill, heritage consultant Alisha Mohamed of WSP, and architect, Jason Pizzicarola, of Jason Pizzicarola Designwere present to answer questions on the application.

The Committee reviewed the materials for the proposed addition that would consist of a residential unit with bedrooms and bathrooms. Alisha presented the two proposals the first being a 1.5-storey flat roof option and the second option being a two-story gable roof addition.

Due to the high probability that both options presented would, over time, result in water penetration and subsequent damage to the soft 19^th Century brick and lime mortar, it was suggested to the proponent that a shed roofed addition would be both more practical and historically sympathetic. Further, it was recommended that the foundation of any addition be poured on its own footings which should be independent of (not tied into) the historic foundation or building; making said addition self-supporting. It was also suggested that, at some point in the future, the applicant consider reinstating 6 over 6 windows on the former school building and changing the garage doors to a simpler design. The owner of the property was commended for coming to the Committee for its input before finalizing a proposed design for the addition.

Motion moved by Amanda Demers that the following Staff recommendations be considered by Council.

1.1 The Municipal Heritage Committee provides input on the Heritage Impact Assessment and concept drawings for a proposed addition at 40 Platoff Street (File No. HER-28-2023); and
1.2 The rear addition respect and conserve the engraved buff bricks with the names and dates of the former students.

8.4

Bill 23 - Priority Designation Update - CDS-23-200

The Committee discussed the list of properties proposed for designation and provided additional suggestions for Staff consideration including the former St. Saviour’s Church in Queenston, the Grimbsy sandstone dwelling on York Road, the stone dwelling at 512 Carlton Street, the former Larkin farmworkers concrete cottages.

Motion moved by Councillor Burroughs that the following Staff recommendations be considered by Council

1.1    The Municipal Heritage Committee endorses the Phase I list for priority designation in Appendix I; and
1.2    The Municipal Heritage Committee provides any further suggestions for Staff consideration.

8.5

Ordnance Boundary Stones - Work Plan - CDS-23-201

Motion moved by Amanda Demers that the following Staff recommendations be considered by Council;

1.1 Whereas the Ordnance Boundary Stones of Niagara-on-the-Lake is a unique heritage asset that tells the story of the early development of our town, and

1.1.1 Whereas 2023 is the 200th anniversary of the installation of the original stones, and

1.1.2 Whereas many of these historic stones can still be found in place but are in need of restoration,

1.1.3 Be it, therefore, resolved that the Municipal Heritage Committee recommends that the Town begins the restoration of the stones this year by a complete restoration of OBS 32 as a pilot project, including resetting and cleaning the stone and erecting a protective barrier, and a single large bronze commemorative plaque be installed near OBS 32 telling the story of the stones, and that Council allocate a budget of $5000 in 2023 for this pilot project and

1.1.4 A temporary sign be installed during restoration providing information about the Town project to restore the stone

APPROVED AS AMENDED

8.6

Hybrid Meeting Motion

Moved by Amanda Demers that this Committee transition to hybrid meetings beginning in September; and That if three (3) meetings between September and December 2023 are attended in-person by one-third (1/3) of the Committee or less that Staff can revert the Committee back to strictly virtual meetings; and

1.1 That in-person meetings are the preferred form of meeting as face-to-face interaction provides easier dialogue with applicants.

APPROVED AS AMENDED

9.

NEW BUSINESS

9.1

Proposed Paint Colours for 167 Regent Street

Denise Horne provided an overview of a proposed change in paint colours prior to issuing a Heritage Permit through delegated authority from the Director of Community and Development Services.

10.

NEXT MEETING DATE

Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.

11.

ADJOURNMENT

Adjournment unanimously took place at 8:23 p.m.