Committee OKs plan to convert former Sudbury school into 74 residential units

At a meeting on Monday afternoon, Greater Sudbury's planning committee approved a plan to convert the former St. Bernadette's school on Auger Street into 74 residential units, beginning with 20 units. St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School closed in 2015. (Greater Sudbury planning department photo)

At a meeting on Monday afternoon, Greater Sudbury's planning committee approved a plan to convert the former St. Bernadette's school on Auger Street into 74 residential units, beginning first with 20 units.

The proposal would see the existing school building converted into 20 apartments, with the remaining 54 units spread across three new buildings on the site. St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School closed in 2015.

"The site is serviced by municipal water and sanitary sewer services, and there are public transit stops on the east side of Auger Avenue at the subject lands, and on the south side of Hawthorne Drive approximately 50 metres to the northeast," said a staff report on the plan.

"The surrounding area is predominantly low-density residential in character with two schools located to the east."

The plan calls for a phased development, with the 20 units built first and the remainder to proceed later when the area's sewage capacity is determined and increased if needed.

"The developer’s engineer has installed sanitary sewer flow monitoring equipment to determine specifically what upgrades are required to the downstream sanitary sewer system," the report said.

"Any upgrades to the downstream sewer system must be made prior to the remaining development proceeding."

The staff report recommended approving the application since the land is zoned for medium residential use and promotes the city's goal of land-use intensification.

That goal is aimed at having more people living in areas where city services and infrastructure already exist. While it makes paying for and maintaining services more affordable, the policy often encounters opposition from existing residents.

In particular, neighbourhoods with mainly single-family homes often oppose plans to bring in multi-residential units. Several letters of concern have been submitted opposing the plan to convert St. Bernadettes and four people spoke against the plan Monday afternoon.

Concerns include the loss of greenspace, the change in the character of the existing neighbourhood, increases in traffic density and the potential decline of the value of existing homes in the area.

"I am not opposed to the development of this site. It is the scale that is being suggested that gives me concern," one person wrote.

"I believe that a single building of 10-25 units would be of significant impact to the neighbourhood … but it would be within a margin of understanding in terms of a developer wishing to rehab the old school site. To suggest a development of three buildings with 74 units is simply outrageous and quite reckless."

However, committee members unanimously approved the plan, considering a study concluded the traffic impacts would less than the school when it was open, and the fact the city has a housing crisis and badly needs new housing.