In preventing new offices, councillor Upton sees more vibrant future for downtown Stouffville

● Stouffville is considering a Zoning By-Law Amendment to prohibit new at-grade office uses along a portion of downtown Main Street.

● Combined with potential new uses, the goal is to increase the number of businesses able to drive pedestrian traffic and commerce.

● Existing offices would be protected and grandfathered into the new By-Law.

● The study area includes both sides of Main between Park Drive and Albert Street.

● A consultation website and survey have been created, and a Public Planning Meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on September 25 to gather community input.

● The study was catalyzed by a June Member Motion from Ward 4 Councillor Rick Upton, who spoke to Bullet Point News about the potential behind possible policy changes.

“I was talking to someone who has an office in Unionville, and during the conversation I asked ‘how can Unionville be so successful?’” Upton told us during a recent interview in Main Street’s Civic Square. Golden hour had arrived, and orange light bounced off the tops of the downtown’s challenged Main Street buildings.

“He told me he was on the BIA, and ten years ago they came up with a motion to shift the offices off Main Street,” Upton continued. “Then he laid out how it opened up space for retailers and businesses that could put feet on the street, and that’s how this got started.”

Stouffville is considering similar measures in the hope of creating a more engaging and active commercial core. A Public Planning Meeting is set for next week to present possible Zoning By-Law Amendment considerations meant to disallow new office uses along the corridor.

According to the Staff Report, 16 of the 98 at-grade Main Street units between Albert and Park house office uses that would no longer be permitted. These include real estate and travel agencies, insurance and wealth management companies, and accountants and legal offices.

The remaining 82 units are home to medical offices, services and retail, restaurants, and other uses such as a place of worship and funeral home. 16 units are sitting vacant.

While they further delve into respective policies, Staff have found justification for the Amendment within Provincial, Regional, and Town planning direction. Notably, support is focused on the multi-government desire to create complete communities.

The York Region Official Plan, for example, “states that complete communities are those that are designed to be accessible, dense, and walkable where most amenities are in close proximity and meet people’s needs for daily living,” Staff explain. “Complete communities provide for a full range of uses…to increase greater human interaction and create a sense of community.”

Upton expanded on the issue, telling us that he is a client of local businesses operating in Main Street offices. “These are great people running great businesses who I love and appreciate,” Upton said. “But I haven’t seen my accountant in-person for years, I don’t walk there every week. We need footprints to grow businesses, then even more businesses will want to come. ”

The Ward 4 Councillor hopes that cascading effect will help lead to a revitalization of the area. However, he was quick to highlight that existing businesses considered to be office uses by the Town’s current Zoning By-Law would be grandfathered into the Amendment as legally not conforming.

“We are not here to impede on anybody,” he assured. “And let’s say you own the building and want to sell your insurance business to another insurance company? Even that will be grandfathered in.”

Staff emphasized this point, saying “no legally existing office use would be evicted as result of the proposed zoning amendment.” Permissions for office use would only be forfeited if a unit sees a change in use or an office closes.

The Amendment under consideration would not limit office uses entirely. Prohibitions would apply to a 10 metre setback from the front wall of buildings facing Main Street, but only for at-grade units. Office uses would continue to be permitted behind that setback and anywhere within above floors.

The study is assessing medical offices apart from traditional office uses, which Upton touched on: “We talked about whether we should allow dentists, as an example…and I said that I never mailed my teeth to my dentist. I go to the dentist, I walk there. Same for people who go for a massage or physiotherapy, those are the feet on the street we need.”

In their report, Town Staff have offered support for a medical exemption based on similar reasoning, and Development Planning mentioned the “importance of locating medical services within walking distance to form part of complete community and to avoid reliance on private automobile ownership.”

With development continuing throughout the area, the Town is also contemplating new land use permissions to draw in residents and “generate pedestrian activity and animation along Main Street.” They range from axe throwing and craft breweries to art galleries and museums.

Some concerns have been expressed by residents over potential upticks in vacancies, and the Main Street Reconstruction plan looms ahead. Councillor Upton is trying to take a positive outlook while recognizing the challenges facing Main Street businesses.

“There are really no easy solutions here, and the last thing we want to do is lose anyone,” Upton shared. “We’re looking into additional ways we can help our local businesses, and we want everyone to understand these long-term goals because that’s what we’re committed to.”

Upton encouraged residents and local business owners to attend the September 25 Public Planning Meeting to learn more about the potential Zoning By-Law Amendment and have their voices heard.

“I tell people all the time to come out to these meetings, but it’s especially important when it’s touching pocketbooks and the future of our town,” he concluded. “I expect we will have a good turnout next week.”

Randy Barba is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Bullet Point News in Stouffville, Ontario. Title image: Councillor Rick Upton stands in front of Stouffville's Main Street to discuss his Member Motion asking to prohibit new downtown office uses. (Randy Barba.)