The Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) has recommended rezoning a vacant lot at 514-520 South St. in the SoHo neighbourhood, despite frustration that a derelict home on the property had to be torn down by city hall last year. “The circumstances suggest to the public that this has just been a case of a demolition by neglect,” Coun. Sam Trosow told the committee. “Now there’s going to be a huge windfall (for the owner).” According to public records, Anmoor Homes purchased the boarded-up heritage home at 520 South St. on March 21, 2022. During the subsequent two-and-a half years, there were significant concerns raised about safety, trespassing, and property standards at the crumbling heritage-listed house. “The owners of such properties shouldn’t be taking advantage of the city to move forward,” said Coun. Jerry Pribil. “Having said that, this is where we are. The building is not there. The neighborhood is very happy.” According to city staff, the owner of the property paid the city all of the enforcement-related fees in February, 2025. Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis acknowledged the frustration being expressed by some committee members, but reminded them that PEC must make its decisions based on planning principles. “We may not like the players. We may not like how we got here, but from a Planning Act perspective, from a Provincial Policy Statement perspective, and from [the perspective of] the decisions of this committee—we are here to discuss land use issues,” Lewis said. The committee recommended permitting the rezoning of the vacant lot to permit construction of 25 townhouses. To discourage similar challenges on other properties in the future, Trosow suggested the Community and Protective Services (CAPS) Committee consider ways to give the property standards bylaw more teeth. “If there’s not a law against it, there should be!” he said. “I think maybe I’ll be taking this at some point back to CAPS Committee in terms of enforcement.” Council will make a final decision about the rezoning on Aug. 26.
