Unity Road spa project to go before Kingston planning committee
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GLENBURNIE — The city’s planning committee is to consider a rezoning request that, if approved, would allow plans for a new spa complex in Countryside District to move forward.
Ben Pilon’s BPE Development proposed to build the facility on three properties totalling 13.7 hectares at the intersection of Battersea and Unity roads that is to include 67 hotel rooms, a spa, a winery or nano-brewery and tasting room, two restaurants, a farm produce retail outlet and cafe, and an event centre.
“At full buildout, the site is anticipated to have a capacity to accommodate 134 people in overnight accommodations, plus visitors to the tasting room and tied house, restaurant and event centre,” a report to the committee from Paige Agnew, commissioner of community services, stated. “Visitors to the site would cycle throughout the day, but it is anticipated at full buildout, the site’s maximum capacity could be 280 people.”
The project is in line with the city’s official plan and the Ontario government’s provincial policy statements, and Agnew’s report stated that Pilon has provided studies to address the major concerns about the project, including traffic, noise and water.
“The tourism commercial use will bring new employment and amenities to the countryside in an area that is already heavily developed with residential and non-agricultural uses and is in close proximity to the city’s urban core,” Agnew’s report stated. “These uses have the potential to create year-round employment and build on Kingston’s tourism offerings.”
The report to committee included dozens of letters from residents, many of them voicing support for the project as a unique, and much-needed, economic development in the rural area.Others letter writers are concerned about the size of the development and its impact on the area, despite the reports, the support of city staff and the anticipated economic benefit.
Water is among their biggest concerns.
The area’s groundwater is considered to have moderate to very high groundwater sensitivity and is highly vulnerable from a source water perspective, and the project’s impact on neighbouring drinking water wells is the strongest criticism of the proposal.
A hydrogeological study commissioned by BPE Developments showed the development would need about 75,000 litres of water per day, with about 30,000 litres per day being recycled and reused for laundry, toilets and irrigation.
The report concluded there was enough groundwater supply to support the development.
The remaining 45,000 litres per day the spa is expected to use is equivalent to what 79 average Canadian households use, stated David Pentney, chair of the Glenburnie Residents’ Association, a group founded in 2018 specifically to oppose the inn and spa development.
“Is the developer or the city prepared to place funds in trust to address any residential or farm well issues that arise within a three-kilometre radius from this site for up to 10 years after the site becomes operational?” Pentney asked in a letter to the city.
A three-year well-monitoring program is being proposed to look for adverse impacts on area drinking water.
Under the planning act, city council was supposed to have made a decision about the spa development by last November, and Pilon could take the project to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal for a decision.
In a letter to the Whig-Standard, Pilon wrote that the evolution of the development has been influenced by input from the city and the public.
“We are pleased to say the reports and studies are complete. They have been meticulously reviewed by professional hydrogeologists and are being fully supported for approval by the City of Kingston and all professionals and engineers who have been involved in this process.
“Those are the facts. While it can be tempting to let emotion get the better of us, it is important we listen to the experts — both those who conducted the studies and those who peer-reviewed those studies — and trust the lengthy and thorough development processes we have in place.”
The planning committee is to consider the rezoning application at a meeting on Thursday evening.
City council would have the final decision later this summer.