A curious zoning change, Official Plan draft 2
391 Barrie Street (now 4 York Street) goes from "Neighbourhood Commercial" to "Residential + Commercial" in the draft map showing allowed uses
A development application for this property proposes that the one-storey building be converted to a three-storey residential building with 9 units and 18 bedrooms. The property is currently zoned “Neighbourhood Commercial.” Read this previous What’s Up Kingston report about the development proposal.
In Draft 1, the map below shows the site as permitting a commercial use, which is consistent with the zoning that has been in place since at least 2008. At that time, the site was “red flagged” in the zoning with a note that to maintain the “neighbourhood character” no additional floor space would be allowed. In 2025, the North King’s Town project policies added the property into the Heritage Character Area.
In Draft 2, the map below shows the use for the site as “Residential + Commercial,” the yellow colouring.
For neighbours who have been worried about the impact of this high-density development proposal on their neighbourhood and the close by park, this change for the property in the draft Official Plan map is troubling.
“It appears as if someone at the City has changed the zoning of this tiny, unique site in the Second Draft while it’s currently undergoing an application for a Zoning Bylaw Amendment. What an erosion of trust! It’s like they’re anticipating the outcome of the development approval process before Planning Committee and Council have voted. I hope I’m mistaken as that would be completely unethical,” says Jill Bryant, a neighbour.
The development application will be coming to Planning Committee for a decision on June 4, 2026.
Notice of a Public Meeting
[edited]
The City of Kingston has received an application for a: Proposed Zoning By-Law Amendment (ZBA)
Purpose and Effect of the Application: To permit the conversion of existing 1-storey medical office building into a 3-storey residential apartment building, containing 9 residential units.
The site is located at 4 York Street… The property has an area of approximately 275 square metres. The subject property is designated Residential in the Official Plan.
The subject property is in a Red Exception in the Kingston Zoning By-Law 2022-62 and is subject to both the provisions of the CN (Neighbourhood Commercial) Zone in Zoning By-law 2022-62, and is also subject to the site-specific provisions of the A.119 Zone in former Zoning Bylaw Number 8499.
The applicant is proposing a zoning by-law amendment to permit the adaptive re-use of the existing 1-storey building on the subject property to establish a three-storey apartment building containing 9 dwelling units with a total of 18 bedrooms.
The proposed unit mix includes 4 one-bedroom units, 3 two-bedroom units and 2 four-bedroom units.
An Urban Multi-Residential Zone 11 (URM11) is proposed for the site along with an Exception Overlay that would apply site-specific development standards pertaining to matters such as height, setbacks, lot coverage, landscaped open space, a step back for the rooftop amenity area, and parking.
A Holding Overlay is also recommended, specifying conditions to be satisfied before the applicant is in a position to obtain a building permit.
Due to a lack of available space on the site, no on-site vehicular parking is being proposed. However, 17 long-term bike spaces are proposed in shared rooms internal to the building and 1 short-term bike space is proposed.
**** Address of Property: 4 York Street (Formerly 391 Barrie Street)
Name of Applicant: David Kay and the Boulevard Group
City File Number: D14-010-2025 - more informtion on DASH
Public Meeting Date: June 4, 2026 Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: This will be a hybrid meeting. Attendees can participate in-person at Council Chambers, City Hall, 216 Ontario Street, or virtually. To register to attend virtually, email Christine O’Connor, Committee Clerk, at cloconnor@cityofkingston.ca.
Enquiries may be made by contacting Amy Didrikson, Senior Planner, by email adidrikson@cityofkingston.ca, or by phone 613-546-4291, ext. 3296.
Written comments for or against this change may be sent to Planning Services via: Mail: 216 Ontario Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3 Fax: 613-542-9965
Zone change also occurred for the Mile Square clearcut (rural to industrial), presumably during or directly before the destruction of a Significant Woodland. So it may have been ineligible for the farm exemption, but also against planning rules as an application for an industrial purpose to the Planning Dept had/has not been submitted.
"It appears as if someone at the City has changed the zoning of this tiny, unique site in the Second Draft while it’s currently undergoing an application for a Zoning Bylaw Amendment. What an erosion of trust!"