Base31 is forging ahead. Fast.

Council’s Planning Committee has approved a bid to move the Base’s first two proposed neighbourhoods through an accelerated approvals process.

The County has agreed to ask the province for an accelerated designation for two linked projects: restoration of the existing military base into a Revitalization District that combines retail, commercial, light industrial, and residential uses, and a primarily residential village on lands immediately adjacent.

The Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator(CIHA) designation comes from the province’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. PEC Community Partners, the consortium representing the three major developers, argued last week that its plans to provide affordable housing and restore heritage structures merit the expedited process.

The accelerated designation would mean the two projects will be exempt from Official Plan, Zoning, Site Plan, and Subdivision approvals. It could speed things up by about a year.

The CIHA designation was adopted by the province under the 2022 More Homes For Everyone Act to accelerate new housing construction and community infrastructure.

Dennis Pieprz, an urban planner with Sasaki Associates in Boston, presented Base31’s Area Concept Plan to council. Of the once virtually inaccessible 750-acre site, he noted, “we now have a chance to open it up and make a thriving part of the county.”

Plans envision a mixed-use community anchored by a central Revitalization District. It will be connected to a series of villages that will also mix residential and retail opportunities as required.

The county retained the services of Stantec Consulting to review the proposal. Stantec supported the idea of pursuing the accelerator designation, which would come as a minister’s order. Such orders respond to requests initiated by municipal councils for expedited zoning anywhere in the province except the Greenbelt.

Community engagement is still required, but the approval process is streamlined. A conventional land use process will apply to the balance of the site.

County staff also supported the CIHA request, on the grounds that development at the Base promises to both address an urgent need for affordable housing and preserve and revitalize important heritage assets.

The requested CIHA would apply to a new 74-acre village as well as the existing 68-acre Revitalization District. Affordable housing units would compose at least 5% of total offerings, but draft plans suggest a range of housing types — co-op housing, tiny homes, walk-up apartments, townhomes — that are on the more affordable end of the spectrum to begin with.  “Affordable” is defined as 80% of average market prices.

In response to questions from councillors and meeting participants, Mr. Pieprz stressed that the development will offer “a spectrum of affordability,” and could include attainable ownership units, co-op housing, and live-work units.

CAO Marcia Wallace noted, “the residential development will support the revitalization of the heritage structures that is already underway.”

The County’s 2023 Housing Plan identifies several critical housing issues in the County. These include: rapid population growth, particularly of households with families; an aging population with little choice of housing; a housing stock not keeping up with growth rates; prices disproportionately higher than elsewhere in the Bay of Quinte region; one of the lowest vacancy rates for rental housing in the province; increasing housing insecurity for low income residents; and a wait list for subsidized housing that is now over 1000 people and growing.

Carlyn Moulton, owner of Oeno Gallery, addressed council as a business owner more than ready for the opportunities the Base offers. She noted that Oeno Gallery would be opening a second, larger location at the Base – and exchanging 3000 square feet of inconvenient storage in Belleville at the same time.

“The kind of cluster of creative businesses the Base promises to create, of art galleries, music, restaurants, and of like-minded, creative people, is exciting for us. To be part of a unique community like this will help us to both attract and retain staff.” Not to mention patrons. Oeno attracts 30,000 clients a year at its current location.