Skip to content

Council approves four rentals for East Galt

Council approved plans for 42 Portland St. after a slight hiccup that could have led to application deferral
2021-07-28-Portland-Street
An existing church building on Portland Street will be converted to a four one-bedroom apartment building.

Parking concerns almost deferred plans for an existing church building on Portland Street to be converted into four rentals. 

The discussion took place at a recent council meeting during which Coun. Jan Liggett said she wasn't convinced that five parking spots, four of which would be used by those occupying each of the four one-bedroom apartments and one would be used by visitors, would be enough. 

Currently, on-street parking is permitted on both sides of Portland Street, however, she said, "I know the streets are being changed and parking is being removed and this is a narrow street. My suspicion is that this will be one from which street parking will be removed."

Liggett then proposed an amendment to reduce the number of units in the building from four to three.

Hardy Bromberg, deputy city manager community development, expressed his concerns around the amendment, instead suggesting a deferral of the proposal. 

"If council supports going from four to three units, they defer the report to allow staff to capture the full essence of the specific zoning bylaw amendment," he said.

City planner Malcolm Duncan also added that in response to the deferral, the developer could take the matter to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

Coun. Mike Devine shared Liggett's thoughts around parking, but there was otherwise little support around the table for the proposal to defer.

"We do desperately need rental units in Cambridge so that's one reason to keep it at four because we don't have much stock," said Coun. Donna Reid. "At this point, I'm not ready to defer and change it from four to three. This is a small intensification but we do need intensification and this is one we can certainly add to our stock. I'm not ready to change it at this point."

Coun. Pam Wolf agreed.

"After reading the report and the details, I'm not averse to four units," she said. "I do think Coun. Reid's point for our desperate need for rental units. I'm not so worried about the parking."

In the end, a majority vote approved the developer's plans to convert the old church building into four rental units.