Eighteen new housing units will be built in the Village of Haliburton.
This month, Haliburton County Council signed off on rezoning four lots at the corner of Victoria St. and Maple Ave. from commercial to residential. Dysart et al council gave their approval in April, but will need to approve one more zoning bylaw amendment for the project.
According to the proposal by developer Hot Pond Enterprises Inc., each of the three buildings will have six suites, with equal parts one, two, and three-bedroom units. A third of those will be offered as affordable housing, with the same amount being fully accessible.
Richard Carson, the company’s president, told council the lots have been vacant for at least 15 years, save for one family which will move into the first building constructed.
“What we’ve tried hard to do is to propose a solution to a huge need, which is for rental housing in [the Village of Haliburton],” said Carson. “Not condominiums, but housing. It could be for families, for seniors, even for professionals working in our community. Which has been a problem in the past, there just isn’t enough rental housing.”
Carson added that the driveway will be on the Victoria St. side, with parking available on-site, on the street, and at the nearby tennis courts.
“I think that we’re all excited to see a housing project forward in the county,” said County Warden Liz Danielsen. “[It’s] much needed, especially for the sorts of people who might move into that housing. I just wish that all four buildings were going up at once. But one step at a time.”