The Ontario Land Tribunal hearing on the Jamesville affordable and market housing redevelopment is now scheduled to begin on February 18, 2025.
In a notice issued this afternoon, the Ontario Land Tribunal states it received “a request by the City of Hamilton to adjourn the 9-day Hearing scheduled to commence on May 21, 2024”.
At 9:10 p.m. on Monday evening, the City of Hamilton state its legal counsel sent the request on “behalf of and with the consent of all parties in the hearing.”
Background
Previous councils decided to close the 91 rent-geared-to-income family townhouses in Jamesville housing complex to sell the 2.3-hectare site for private redevelopment.
In 2019, Marz Homes won the bid to purchase and redevelop the property. Fram/Stokker are the lead developer.
The City is retaining a portion of the property for 46 smaller CityHousing apartments, and another portion of the site will be used for a 114-unit Indwell supportive housing building.
Marz Homes, with Desantis Homes, plans to build 315 private market townhouses on the site.
On September 14, 2022, CN Rail filed its appeal to the OLT, asking the Tribunal to intervene to require better noise and environmental mitigation.
CN’s Stuart Street shutting yard is approximately 230 metres east of the Jamesville site and the main CN line runs directly south of the property.
Despite concerns expressed by CN Rail regarding noise and environmental mitigation measures, last term’s Council approved the redevelopment proposal on August 12, 2022.
The parties have attended the OLT for three case management conference hearings.
They told the Tribunal at each appearance that confidential mediation talks were ongoing and hoped to reach a settlement agreement.
In December 2023, the parties [CN, City, CityHousing Hamilton, and Jamesville Development LP] agreed to an issues list for the May 2024 hearing dates. There are 20 items on the issues list.
Last Tuesday, City Council’s planning committee met in closed session to discuss the appeal. They gave direction to city staff, and voted to keep that direction confidential.
At 9:10 p.m. on Monday evening, the City of Hamilton emailed TPR stating that the City’s legal counsel set the request on “behalf of and with the consent of all parties in the hearing.”
An OLT spokesperson confirms the parties “are working towards a resolution.”
Production Details v. 2.0.1 Published: April 22, 2024 Last updated: April 24, 2024 Author: Joey Coleman Update Record v. 1.0.0 original version v. 1.0.1 linked to uploaded copy of OLT decision. v. 1.1.0 added OLT statement that parties continues to work towards a resolution. v. 1.2.0 added statement from City of Hamilton that the City filed the adjournment request on behalf. Changed front page summary to reflect. v. 2.0.0 story restructed following updates listed above. v. 2.0.1 added "Fram/Stokker are the lead developer."
Why keep the rationale confidential? Must be bad pavement like the Red Hill.
Social housing closed up for 10 years? What is going on? Total mismanagement. Knock them down and use the property for temporary housing communities. All that is needed for a tiny homes community is there.
I do not understand the City’s decision not to issue a public update. This is a matter of wide public interest, and frankly frustration.
While the contents of settlement talks are confidential, the City is free to state talks are ongoing.