Downtown Milton Revitalization Floodplain Proposal Submitted

NRU
Jan. 27, 2016
Geordie Gordon

While Milton works to complete a downtown study to determine the future of its historic downtown, a new mixed-use development application is pushing the limits on what had been the norm in the town’s core.

An interim report on the downtown study, which seeks to optimize opportunities to revitalize Milton’s historic downtown and determine how much intensification it can accommodate, was submitted to the Milton committee of the whole January 25th. But Milton planning and development director Barbara Koopmans says the study is more about revitalization than intensification of the downtown.

“What we’re looking for in the historic downtown ... is sensitive redevelopment opportunities that will contribute to the vitality of the historic core commercial area,” she told NRU.

Green Propeller Design principal Marina Huissoon says that client 175 Main Development Corporation’s proposal for a mixed-use building at 150, 152, 158, 160, 174, 182, 192 Mill Street and 167-173, 175 Main Street would contribute to the intensification of downtown Milton.

“I think it would be fair to say that Milton has limited opportunities to meet [its intensification] targets, so we see this [proposal] as being a contribution towards making the downtown more liveable and supporting the intensification notions of the province,” she told NRU.

The proposal, known as 175 Main, for 190 residential units in two towers and 568 m2 of retail space in the podium, was submitted to the town this month. The west tower is 18 storeys and contains 127 residential units while the east tower is 13 storeys and contains 35 residential units. The remaining 28 units will be located in the podium.

Huissoon said that the 175 Main proposal is important as it enables the downtown “to be a vibrant economic reality.” She told NRU that planners recognize the need to have residential units downtown if the areas are to thrive economically. This is not something that has happened in downtown Milton yet, despite the residential boom elsewhere in town.

Koopmans acknowledged that one of the objectives of the downtown study is to establish a strategy for attracting more people to the downtown and encouraging people to live and work there. However, development proposals need to respect the historic context of the area.

Wards 2, 3, 4 and 5 councillor Colin Best said that the downtown study was partially about finding the right balance between encouraging downtown revitalization and ensuring that the development makes sense, not only from an economic point of view, but from an environmental and heritage viewpoint as well.

“Every community goes through this ...[the question is] what is the fi ne line between the two [objectives], trying to retain your heritage but also trying to have some people living downtown, as well as working and shopping,” he said.

While the downtown study is in its initial stages, the town has identified some areas that present opportunities for redevelopment, outside of the flood plain that covers a significant portion of the downtown area. Because the 175 Main site falls within the floodplain, it is not one of the areas identified for redevelopment in the interim report.

Koopmans said that it was premature for staff to comment on the proposal specifically, because Conservation Halton’s review of the proposal presented a hurdle that the project needs to clear before staff consider the height and density of the project. Koopmans did say that the proposal was unique to Milton, and that the town didn’t “have any other proposals that begin to approach that scale.”

“If there is no permit forthcoming from the conservation authority, there’s no point in looking at built form or whatever else, if the flood constraint is to that extent, it really is a determinative factor,” Koopmans said.

Huissoon said that the floodplain has been factored into the way in which the building is designed, with all of the occupied levels and pedestrian exits being located above the flood line elevation.

“There is no impediment to the water continuing, as it does today, through the site. And that’s the basic premise that we have to adhere to in order to make this work,” she said.

The Milton planning department expects to host a public information centre on the 175 Main proposal early this year. The downtown study is expected to be completed later in the year.