Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Study

Project Update

The Town of Lincoln has completed the first phase of a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Study to explore if there is potential for the Beamsville King Street Corridor to be designated as a Heritage Conservation District and has provided guidance to Town Council regarding future designation.

The Committee of the Whole considered the HCD Study for the Beamsville King Street Corridor at a meeting on November 27, 2023. Council decided to proceed with the second phase of the study.

Interim Control By-law

The Interim Control By-law 2022-16 was passed to temporarily pause the receipt of all planning applications for properties along the King St. Corridor within the Beamsville Urban Area, not including any minor renovations to commercial buildings or development concepts already submitted to and discussed with Town staff or applications already submitted prior to the passing of the By-law on the 7th of March, 2022 (including pre-consultation or planning application submissions to the Town), until the completion of a Heritage Conservation District Study.

The purpose of By-law 2023-10 is to extend the period of time during which the Interim Control By-law will be in effect, for a period of six months until September 6, 2023 unless otherwise extended in accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act, R.S.O., c.P. 13, as amended. The extension is required as a result of Bill 23’s Amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act which caused a shift in the scope of the Heritage Conservation District Study.

See the Notice of Extension of An Interim Control By-law - Heritage Conservation District, at right.

Other Updates

The Government of Ontario’s annual housing supply action plan and the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022 (Bill 23) have resulted in changes to the Ontario Heritage Act (OHA) and Ontario Regulation 9/06. This impacts how Lincoln’s HCD Study Area is evaluated to see if it merits designation. After a brief pause to understand the impacts of Bill 23, the Town of Lincoln and project team have adjusted the work plan to ensure that the HCD Study meets the requirements outlined in the amendments to the OHA, and are resuming our efforts.

Get Involved

Thank you to all who participated in our Community Survey, left a comment within our Interactive Map or attended our Public Information Centres. The tools are now closed for public input, but we always welcome questions or comments. Please contact the staff noted at right.

Public Information Centre #2

The second Public Information Centre took place on June 7, 2023. Thank you to everyone who attended and provided input on the Study.

Attendees shared questions, ideas and concerns. Town staff and the consultation team were available for one-on-one discussions.

• View Presentation

To date, there has been significant research and analysis undertaken with respect to the properties within the study boundaries. This was affected by changes to the Ontario Heritage Act surrounding criteria for determining whether or not the study area has potential to be considered for HCD designation based on the attributes present. These changes precipitated out of Bill 23 while the study was already underway, resulting in the need to review and adjust scope to be consistent with the applicable criteria.

Public Information Centre #1

The first Public Information Centre took place in November 2022. Thank you to everyone who attended and provided input on the Study.

Attendees learned more details about the proposed Heritage Conservation District Study, reviewed display materials, and participated in breakout sesions. Town staff and the Heritage District Conservation study Project Team were available for in-person discussions.

• View the Presentation
• View the Q & A
• Still have questions? Please contact the Project Leads noted at the right-hand side of this page.

Introduction to the Beamsville Heritage Conservation District

The Town of Lincoln is a vibrant area rich in history, culture, natural attractions, and heritage. The Town's vision is to build a strong, vibrant community as a place to grow, prosper and belong.

While individual property designation is successful at preserving individual properties, the Town of Lincoln is considering a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) designation for Beamsville's King Street Corridor to protect the historic character of a defined community area. Based on community feedback heard in PIC #1 and consultation with the Town of Lincoln, we have adjusted the HCD study boundary.

Under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act, HCD designation will allow Beamsville to identify and protect a cohesive collection of heritage resources and elements associated with the community's history – even as change and development occur.

The Town of Lincoln has retained AECOM Canada Ltd. as the Project Team to complete an HCD Study.

Purpose of the HCD Study

Before the Town can decide to designate an area of Beamsville as a heritage district, the first step is to complete a Heritage Conservation District (HCD) Study.

The HCD study will identify and analyze architecturally and historically significant properties and landscape features – including streetscapes, parks, heritage trees, and natural landscape features. The study involves research to understand the history and evolution of Beamsville, collect information on individual properties, consult with the public and stakeholders, assess the study area's potential cultural heritage value under Ontario Provincial criteria, and ultimately determine the recommended HCD boundary.

Consultation with the Municipal Heritage Committee, residents, and property owners is essential to understand what is valued and vital in Beamsville. Engagement will help to:

• develop the recommended HCD boundary;
• understand and assess the study area's cultural heritage value or interest;
• gather and respond to local questions and concerns; and
• guide potential next steps toward heritage designation.

Ongoing opportunities for consultation will help ensure feedback from residents and business owners is captured. The Project Team will also work with the Town's Planning staff, the Municipal Heritage Committee and Council and share back information where possible.

The HCD Study will include a recommendation for the future HCD Plan and clear objectives for pursuing the designation. Council will then decide whether to proceed with the next step towards designation, which is to instruct staff to begin preparing an HCD Plan.