Residents in the Town of Amherstburg will have a chance to learn more about the town's heritage conservation district (HCD) study during an open house Monday night.
The town is looking to preserve its historic core as it experiences significant growth, with the two main study areas being the core of the Town of Amherstburg and a stretch along Dalhousie Street.
Town administration has enlisted a consultant to assess whether the proposed area warrants designation as an HCD.
Councillor and heritage committee representative Linden Crain says Amherstburg has a high concentration of heritage properties and the study area aims to protect them.
"With some of the provincial legislative changes that have taken place, Bill 23, where by 2025 any properties that are on the property of interest list, if they are not designated, they can actually be demolished. So we're trying our best to make sure that the properties in the core of Amherstburg and along Dalhousie Street are protected."
He says he's heard questions and concerns from residents wondering if the plan would stop development or create unnecessary red tape.
"It doesn't restrict residents any different than really what they're doing now. It's just providing a plan in place where we're identifying what are the properties that are significant to this area and making sure that they're protected and encouraging people to submit a heritage permit."
A heritage permit has no cost to the applicant and allows property owners to present their projects to the heritage committee.
The heritage committee would then review the project to ensure the proposal has followed the policies and guidelines in the heritage conservation plan.
Crain says there benefits to living or owning in a HCD.
"Right now the town does not offer restoration grants for properties that will be in the HCD plan, so we're going to be looking at these financial incentives. Tax rebates, restoration grants to really encourage people to revitalize their properties, have adaptive reuse and preserve those heritage properties in the town."
The HCD study open house is scheduled for Monday Apr. 15 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Libro Centre, 3295 Meloche Road.
Consultant-led information sessions will take place at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Following the open house, residents will be able to fill out a survey to further provide their input.
The survey will be available for four weeks at: talktheburg.ca/heritage.