The Region had a narrative appraisal report of 30 privately held properties in the beach area. This appraisal was prepared to provide a high-level estimate of the costs to secure all privately held lands within the Regional Waterfront Park should the acquisition program be continued. To date, privately owned properties have been acquired on a willing seller, willing buyer basis. There are approximately 11 properties valued at less than $300,000, 14 between $300,000 and $400,000, and 5 at over $400,000.
These are properties that are yards away from the lake’s edge. Whatever happened to the real estate phrase: location, location, location? The real value far exceeds the numbers the CBR puts forward.
The appraisal report was prepared in accordance with the Canadian Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as developed by the Standards Board of the Appraisal Institute of Canada.
This confidential appraisal presented a detailed and comprehensive description of the appraisal process with supporting documentation concerning the data, reasoning and analysis for each property.
The appraisal contains the reporting value ranges for each of the 30 properties that are located within the Burlington Beach Regional Waterfront Park. The appraisal identified that the current total market value of all these properties ranges between $9.20 million and $10.05 million.
One of several hundred homes located on land leased from CN Rail on the water side of the railway tracks. Demolished.
The appraisals have grated on the people who currently live in Beachway Park who believe the Region has been kind of fast with the numbers they use. The appraisal prices produced in the past for the Region have been unrealistic which is why the Region has not managed to buy much of the property that has come up for sale. The region produces an appraisal, the property owner gets a better offer and takes it – no rocket science there. The residents cannot understand how a property can sell for more than twice what the Region’s appraisal was and not impact the price set for future appraisals.
While the Region talks of a “detailed and comprehensive description of the appraisal process” that information is not set out in the background document – they just say there is one and that it meets all the standards – the residents are wary. Were the property owners given copies of the `confidential` appraisal report? It will get leaked to real estate people at some point.
Put into service in 1910, he Pump House served the needs of the city for many years. It is currently empty but has a bone dry basement.
The Beachway matter came up frequently at the Waterfront Access and Protection Advisory Committee, (WAPAC) which was sunset at the end of 2012. That committee however did go on record as being in favour of keeping a residential component in the Beachway. It also recommended that the
Solid with new roof work recently completed the Pump House is waiting for someone to come along with a good idea to turn it into a commercial establishment. Potential – but not any time soon. Beachway Master Plan has to be determined before anyone take a chance with a commercial location in this part of the city.
Pump House be converted into a high-end coffee shop wine bar; a recommendation that was enthusiastically supported by Council. No mention then of encroachments or having a property in the park.
During WAPAC meetings Todd Stirling, Senior Planner with the Region, would mention time after time that properties were bought and always on a willing seller – willing buyer basis but he never said that the bulk of those properties were part of a sale of the leases CN had on the properties which were acquired by the Region. Once the Region had ownership of the property they began a process of not renewing the leases and tearing down the homes once the leases expired.
Many of the properties in the beach area owned by the Province, Conservation Halton, City of Burlington or Halton Region are intermingled with private properties. Many have experienced encroachments by owners of the adjacent privately held properties over the years.
These encroachments include storage of equipment, sheds, garden areas, fenced enclosures and other unauthorized use of public property. In a few instances formal encroachment agreements have been entered into; however, these do not provide a long-term solution to the illegal use of public property. It has become clear that encroachments in the beach area is a significant management issue.
There is a tone here that suggests encroachments are a major matter. Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven experiences major indigestion when encroachment issues are mentioned. However, the encroachment by dozens of wealthy property owners along Lakeshore Road and the North Shore Blvd on city owned land that fronts onto the lake is given less than lip service.
WAPAC did some solid research on just who is doing the encroachment and gave their data to the city. Rob Peachy, a city hall staffer who oversees property matters for the city, was given that file and reported to WAPAC saying that this “wasn’t his favourite file”; no one wanted to go up against the well healed and well-connected Lakeshore residents. There is a double standard being applied – not fair and certainly not good governance.
Conservation Halton, with the support of the Region and the City, has catalogued known encroachments. However, further work is required to fully understand the extent of encroachment on the publicly owned land in the beach area. These likely include septic systems; garages and storage buildings; private gardens and recreational spaces; storage and access by vehicles; and seasonal encroachments.
All true – now let the Region and the city get on with resolving the issues. Has either the Region or the city gone beyond cataloging and tried some dialogue? Ya think?
Glen Gillespie and his wife mixing it up with a city workshop facilitator on the right.
