The Kenora District Services Board has received a proposal for it’s property of Matheson Street south, which is the old Northland.

The developer is proposing a 16 unit seniors complex, with a clinic and retail outlet.

The city’s planner Kevin Sumner says developer is also looking at 21 parking spaces, which is below the city’s Zoning by-law of 1.7 spaces per unit.

Sumner adds that parking is the main sticking point for the development.

“The most contentious issue this far which is the proposed reduction in parking spaces,” Sumner told city council this week during a Zoning hearing on the property.

“It isn’t unprecedented in the downtown area.  I have to acknowledge there are many properties with limited parking.”

Sumner says his recommendation is a bit of a change to the city’s Zoning By-law.

“The number of parking spaces is reduced to one parking space per unit, as a compromise,”

“There would be an assurance that each unit would have at least one dedicated parking space, but the total parking spaces would then become 28 parking spaces, or seven more than what is proposed by the applicants.”

The building would also be four stories high, which is also taller than what is allowed in the city Zoning By-Law for the Harbourtown area, but Sumner is recommending approval of that aspect of the development.

Landmark Planning & Design is working plans for the development.