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Builder aims for residential and commercial units in Orangeville

June 24, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS

A proposed residential development in Orangeville aims to create a balanced community.

That’s according to Jim Hughes of Hughes Management, who provided a rundown of a proposal for a housing development in the town during a statutory public council meeting on June 22.

Hughes said such an open forum is a necessary means to best receive feedback from everybody who has thoughts about the proposed project.

“The development aims to enhance the existing urban fabric by introducing a high-quality, pedestrian-oriented streetscape with commercial vitality at ground level while providing much-needed residential density in a well-integrated manner,” according to a project presentation.

The land is about 1.23 acres and located at the southeast corner of Hansen Boulevard and the eastern entrance to Parkinson Crescent. Despite the small area, Hughes said almost 25 per cent will be affordable housing.

The applicant is proposing two mixed-use buildings with 10 ground-floor commercial units, three ground-floor residential units, and 20 upper-level residential units along the Hansen Boulevard and Parkinson Crescent street frontages. The proposal includes a six-unit townhouse block towards the rear of the site.

Public concerns include increased traffic, parking and safety. Privacy concerns related to the internal private street and parking areas, reduced setbacks and the height of blocks adjacent to existing residential properties were also raised. The proposal’s density, impacts on property values, and the viability of a mixed-use development with commercial units were also mentioned.

The property is currently zoned Neighbourhood Commercial (C2), with a Holding (H) Zone symbol. The Neighbourhood Commercial Zone permits a range of commercial uses, including retail stores, offices, and personal service shops, as well as upper-level residential units.

While that commercial designation allows a variety of uses, Hughes said there are a few uses the proponents are not recommending for the site.

“And we would likely request that the zoning amendment reflect the prohibition of several uses,” he said.

Any restaurants, cafes, or convenience stores on the parcel would not serve the community well, Hughes said.

Orangeville resident Robbie Marin said he supports the development and asked that the proponents reconsider their refusal of a café at the site. He said it would add to the “walkability” of the area.

The Zoning Bylaw amendment application seeks site-specific special provisions to allow the development as proposed. The applicant has also submitted concurrent Site Plan Approval and Holding Symbol (H) removal applications.

The Holding symbol can be removed when plans to fully service and develop the lands have been approved by the town.

Hughes said the objective is to create a balanced community. Serious consideration has been given to residential proximity to nearby schools and parks, he said.

According to the project presentation, the proponents “believe that the success of the commercial component of this project is a function of the approval of on-street layby parking.”

Municipal staff consider layby parking spaces along Parkinson Crescent to be acceptable, but have concerns with layby spaces proposed for Hansen Boulevard because of possible interference with bike lanes.

However, the developers believe that the proposed layby spaces can be accommodated along Hansen Boulevard without adverse impacts to the function of the roadway.

Those spaces will accommodate short-term parking or stopping by motorists dropping off or picking up from the commercial sites.

And, to protect cyclists and vehicles from potential accidents due to conflicts, a 1.5-metre buffer is recommended between the bicycle lane and the vehicle parking lane to reduce the risk of dooring.

Staff also suggested pursuing lay-by spaces and a speed reduction for the north side of Hansen.

“Parking is always difficult, especially with commercial and moved use products,” Hughes said.

Councillor Joe Andrews said one of his council roles was as part of an affordable housing task force concerned about attainable housing. He was pleased to hear that the proponent plans to include affordable housing at the site.

Hughes said the latest definition of affordability is that the unit’s cost would be 30 per cent of a family’s income. The 2021 Census identified Orangeville’s average gross family income as in the area of $120,000.

“Thirty per cent of that gives you a rent of about $3,000 a month,” Hughes said. “Or if you have enough of a downpayment, you would be able to spend about half a million dollars on a unit and be able to carry it for $3,000 a month.”

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