Purchase proposal contains several county benefits
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PORT DOVER – Norfolk staff has positioned properties in Port Dover for sale to accommodate a major condominium project at the former Gamble Shipyard.
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If Norfolk council approves the sale at its regular meeting Tuesday, portions of Lynn Street and Bridge Street immediately west of the Lynn River will be available to Shore Developments Ltd., an investment vehicle for marine services operator Blair McKeil.
The properties in question have a total area of 41,000 square feet. The appraised value of the land is $92,260.
Shore Developments has submitted a proposal for the construction of 375 condominium units on a portion of the former shipyard. The road allowances in question divide the parcel Shore Developments intends to develop.
Obtaining the parcels would consolidate the proposed building lot into “a larger parcel of land offering an opportunity for greater diversity of housing options to prospective buyers,” Lydia Harrison, Norfolk’s realty services specialist, said in a report to Norfolk council.
Along with the $92,260, Norfolk would obtain alternative access and egress to the area through new road allowances and a proposed pedestrian walkway with access to the waterfront in this part of Port Dover. These would be secured through easements.
Another condition involves Shore Developments relocating all county infrastructure affected by the project — if approved — including a county pumping station.
The proposed agreement is conditional on Norfolk County or the Ontario Land Tribunal granting the required official plan and zoning bylaw amendments to accommodate the housing project. The purchase agreement, if approved, would remain in effect till Dec. 31, 2024.
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In a previous presentation to council, McKeil said Shore Developments is prepared to assume the cost of an environmental clean-up in the area involving a road allowance built with a bitumen base. Bitumen is a hydrocarbon which becomes petro-chemical contamination once it gets into the soil. McKeil estimates the clean-up could cost as much as $800,000.
The county’s proposed purchase agreement explicitly states that the cost of a clean-up would be McKeil’s responsibility, with Norfolk indemnified against liability for the portions of Lynn Street and Bridge Street that it is prepared to convey.
Tuesday’s meeting of Norfolk council begins at 3 pm The proceeding will be available for viewing at the county website and on Norfolk County’s YouTube channel.