Kincardine negotiates deal to buy 21 acres on Gary Street for business park

The Municipality of Kincardine has negotiated a purchase and sale agreement to buy about 21 developable acres known as the Gary Street lands, and it plans to rezone the property as a business park.

The agreement is with Bruce K Holdings, the property owner, according to an information report on Kincardine council's Oct. 14 agenda. The report does not give a purchase price or a closing date. A map attached to the report shows the lands west of Highway 21 and north of Sutton Street.

The Banner asked the municipality for the price, the seller and the date and result of any council vote. In an emailed reply on Oct. 16, the Municipality of Kincardine said "the information outlined in the Council report represents the details that are publicly available." It said it anticipates "being able to share additional information in January 2027 as the work progresses."

The municipality has not said when, or whether, council voted to approve the purchase.

Why Kincardine wants the land

In an Oct. 16 media release, the municipality said it continues to see interest "from the nuclear sector and broader business community." It said its recent Business Retention and Expansion survey identified the availability of development land as one of the top challenges facing local businesses.

"Having land available for future development is an important part of building a strong and resilient local economy," the municipality said in the release.

The council report says the private market "has not consistently supplied adequate development-ready land to meet demand." Owning the land would give the municipality "greater control over the timing, form, and conditions of development," the report says.

What happens next

The municipality intends to apply at the end of October for a local Official Plan amendment and a zoning bylaw amendment, according to the report. The changes would rezone the lands from Planned Development to C6 Business Park, with site-specific provisions that would also permit institutional uses. The municipality will file the applications as an agent of the owner.

Holding provisions would stay in place until requirements on traffic, servicing feasibility and land-use compatibility are met, the report says.

The applications will go through Bruce County's review process. Members of the public can send written comments or speak at a public meeting, which the report says is expected to be held before county council in December. Notice will be mailed to properties within 120 metres of the lands.

Kincardine council must adopt the Official Plan amendment before it goes to the county for approval, and council is the approval authority for the zoning change. Each decision can be appealed within 20 days of its notice being issued.

Your turn

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