KENILWORTH – Wellington North council is looking for a way to preserve the historical façades of downtown commercial buildings that were constructed before 1985.
There are various avenues to increasing this preservation; some focussed on incentives and others on regulations.
On July 28, council asked staff to explore the feasibility of adopting a bylaw, policy or guidelines on the matter, and staff brought a report to council outlining options on Sept. 8.
The report, which included consultation with the township’s Cultural Roundtable and Mount Forest Museum and Archives, outlined two potential pathways.
The first would be to expand current heritage-related initiatives such as community education and awareness, recognition through historical societies and additional funding through the Community Improvement Program (CIP).
The second option would be to adopt enforceable regulations by listing individual properties through a heritage register, designating them by heritage bylaw and creating a heritage conservation district.
During the July meeting council also inquired about implementing a moratorium until a detailed framework is put in place.
“The only option for implementing a moratorium/interim control on façade improvements is to enact a heritage conservation district” and pass a bylaw prohibiting or limiting the alteration or demolition of buildings for up to a year, township staff stated in the September report.
Township staff recommended that current heritage related initiatives be expanded through communication, partnership and an enhanced CIP program.
These current initiatives include historical plaques installed on businesses and published in a digital registry and CIP grants with updated formatting to prioritize buildings and features of heritage and historical value.
“Recognizing the value of the CIP in enhancing the downtown core, expanding the program to better support heritage preservation is a powerful tool to incentivize business and property owners,” township staff state.
“While participation in the program remains voluntary, those who choose to incorporate heritage elements may be eligible for additional financial incentives.”
Staff recommend community education and awareness be strengthened with updated materials and outreach and a formal letter with the updated façade design guidelines to local businesses and property owners.
They also recommend strengthening partnerships by promoting local recognition with the Arthur and Mount Forest historical societies, engaging the Arthur and Mount Forest Chambers of Commerce and BIAs to promote the CIP program and “leverage local media, including 88.7 The River as well as print publications to highlight the program.”
Staff recommend the CIP be enhanced by adding a dedicated funding stream for historically significant façade updates and increasing the funding cap from $2,500 to $5,000 for projects with heritage elements.
If council decided to take the enforceable regulation route instead of following the above recommendations, township staff would want to develop a capital justification form outlining additional staff resources required, consultant fees and anticipated legal fees.
Staff warn this latter approach could have unintended consequences, including increased red tape for development and re-development, additional costs and missed opportunities.
Councillor Penny Renken said she’d like to see a third option “somewhere in the middle” that includes safety guards to protect façades but that is not as expensive as developing a new bylaw.
Councillor Sherry Burke echoed this sentiment, adding, “If we are not going to somehow protect our heritage, then who will?”
Both Renken and Burke said they’d like to have further discussion with the township’s Cultural Roundtable before making any decisions.
“We rely heavily on that group for these kinds of initiatives and I think it’s important to have their feedback,” Burke said.
Manager of recreation, community and economic development Mandy Jones noted the staff report had already been presented to the Cultural Roundtable and was “well received.”
Chief building official Darren Jones said “there isn’t really a halfway when it comes to regulation. I think that’s why staff have struggled so much with these reports.”
Councillor Lisa Hern said she struggles with taking a more regulatory approach, though she “completely support(s) protecting historical buildings. She said she is “much more supportive of an enhanced CIP.”
Hern also discussed expanding the CIP program, or something similar, outside of downtown cores.
“Big barns are disappearing at an alarming rate and they’re very cost prohibitive – they’re an absolute money pit – and I really struggle with seeing them disappear,” she said.
Mayor Andy Lennox said the township has “more than one tool in our toolbox,” and called the conversation around preserving heritage a tool in and of itself, “in that we can communicate clearly what we think are important things for our community.”
However, that “doesn’t mean that we have to necessarily create a law to communicate that,” he said. “Maybe we should start a consultation with some of our downtown business owners,” he suggested, to express council’s preservation concerns as well as barriers faced by owners.
CAO Brooke Lambert said consulting with BIAs is one of the next steps staff will take.
Council received the staff report for information.
