Kingston, Ont. council defers tentative agreement for Queen Street highrise

Kingston city council voted 9-2 to defer making a decision on a tentative deal for a proposed 15-storey highrise on the corner of Queen and Barrie streets Tuesday night.

The negotiated deal isn’t sitting well with area residents because they say they weren’t included in the talks leading to the settlement and they say the tower is still too high.

The agreement, if it had passed, would have seen the lower part of the building’s podium reduced to a maximum of three storeys from five, and the tower reduced from 16 storeys to 15.

The purpose of the deferral is to allow city staff to meet with the Friends of Queen Street Kingston, a residents’ group that was formed so they could participate in the Ontario Land Tribunal Hearing.

But CAO Lanie Hurdle told council those discussions between staff and the group wouldn’t change the tentative settlement that staff had recommended that council approve.

“I believe that staff are supportive of the minutes of settlement that are in front of council,” said Hurdle.

“I would not anticipate that that would change. So what would come back to council is feedback.”

Neither A.J. Kielty nor representatives from Podium Development would provide comment about council’s deferral.

Members of Friends of Queen Street Kingston say a two-week delay isn’t a lot of time, and they aren’t sure what to make of where things stand now.

“Individuals are going to have to come to the table with a willingness to listen to the concerns, and be open to considering changes to the proposal that are in keeping with the wishes of the community,” says group member Bill Woods.

“If it’s just going to be a meeting to placate us, then that’s a waste of everybody’s time.”

Productive discussions or a waste of time will be known publicly when council meets again on May 2, when it will once again consider whether to support the tentative settlement.