Importance of Brownfield Redevelopment

In 2009 the City’s Planning Department identified 137 brownfield properties (i.e. 226 hectares or 559 acres) that are candidates for redevelopment. While the inventory is not exhaustive, it illustrates the significance of Windsor’s brownfield stock and the need to work with landowners to put these properties back into productive use.

Historically, there has been little interest in redeveloping brownfield sites due to the uncertainty surrounding the extent of contamination and the potential cost of clean-up. The Brownfield Redevelopment CIP provides financial incentives to undertake the necessary studies and remedial work necessary to redevelop brownfield sites and reduce the potential negative impacts to the City's environment and neighbourhoods.

The benefits associated with brownfield redevelopment go far beyond the boundaries of the property. For example, they are often strategically located within existing built up areas of the City where services and other infrastructure, such as roads, schools, community facilities and public transit are already available, therefore additional infrastructure costs are not incurred to service these areas. The redevelopment of these sites also remove the negative stigma often associated with brownfield properties, which increases the value of the subject property and adjacent properties.

Brownfield sites also represent a significant underutilization of the land base. According to the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (2003), every hectare redeveloped through a brownfield project saves up to an estimated 4.5 hectares of greenfield land from being developed (i.e. agricultural land on the edge of the City); and for every dollar invested in a brownfield redevelopment, it is estimated that $3.80 is invested in the economy.

Site Background

This 0.58 hectare site is located south of Tecumseh Road West between Partington Avenue and Roxborough Boulevard (see Location Map). The property is designated “Residential” in the Official Plan and zoned Residential District (RD) 1.1 with a site specific provision (i.e. S.20(1)’H’138), which permits a self storage facility as an additional permitted use provided that a continuous screening fence or wall is constructed between the self storage facility and abutting residential uses. The site specific provision also has a holding symbol (‘H’) attached that requires the submission of Phase 1 and 2 Environmental Site Assessment Reports to the satisfaction of the City Planner before the holding symbol can be removed. The vacant property was formerly used as an automotive scrap yard between 1969 and 1988.

An application under the Environmental Site Assessment Grant program was approved by Council at its meeting on July 8, 2019. A Phase Two Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) Study was complete by the previous owner in accordance with