Council approves North End Gateway plan; some residents pressed for elevations instead of acquisitions

The Barrie City Council on Sept. 24 approved a resolution to include the North End Gateway housing plan in the city’s CDBG‑DR application. The plan combines buyouts, acquisitions for redevelopment, and elevating existing structures: staff described the submitted package as nine buyouts, four acquisitions for redevelopment, and eight elevations. Resident Justine Macris, who said she and her mother own a house in the triangle, said she repeatedly requested elevation instead of a buyout and expressed frustration at a lack of timely answers about whether Downstreet Housing or the city would acquire her property. Staff replied that many properties in the area had been assessed and that the city prioritized acquisitions in clustered parcels where redevelopment would yield greater citywide mitigation value. The manager noted that buyouts in the area are funded through FEMA and would proceed regardless of this application. Shade Picor, a North End resident who said one of his houses was among the proposed acquisitions, asked whether acquisition funds would require redevelopment within the six‑year federal spending window; staff said the application funds acquisition and site preparation and that redevelopment timing could proceed after the acquisition is closed. Staff also said property owners that are shown as buyouts returned signed acknowledgements; acquisitions and option agreements were represented as having signed templates on file. After resident comments and staff responses, the council voted to include the North End Gateway plan in the application. The manager said the council will contact property owners and continue outreach in the neighborhood as projects move forward. Staff added that some properties that were not approved in the initial elevation/buyout round could be considered in a second round of funding if the program reopens.