A James Street apartment complex has seen its fair share of twists and turns on the roller coaster of municipal politics in 2007, and last week was no exception.

On Wednesday, town council denied a request from the owners of 105 James Street to lease a portion of Mary Street for parking.

The property attracted a considerable amount of attention in June, when neighbours came out to the town office to oppose rezoning the house to convert it into a four-plex.

They argued the building, which at the time was zoned for a single residence, had been home to many suspect tenants who engaged in rowdy and often illegal behaviour.

Owners Albert and Joanne Lincoln promised to build a house to be proud of, and the majority of council agreed it would increase affordable housing in downtown Bracebridge.

Since then, the Lincolns have expended a considerable amount of time and money to get the building in top shape, said Carolyn Tripp of Wayne Simpson and Associates.

Tripp represented the Lincolns at the meeting, and told council that, as a result of the construction of an exterior fire escape and a retaining wall, they could no longer provide the legally required six parking spaces behind the building.

She assured council that if the town leased the Lincolns a 5.2-metre-long stretch of Mary Street , it would be used only for visitors’ parking. A favourable decision will provide much-needed affordable housing, she said.

Councillor Graydon Smith questioned exactly how much the rooms would cost. Tripp consulted the owner, who was in attendance, and replied that they didn’t know yet.

“You build a four-plex and you have no idea how much you’re charging in rent. I find that very hard to believe,” said a seemingly annoyed Smith.

“I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Mayor Don Coates interjected.

After the meeting, Smith said “affordable housing” is a term that gets thrown around too often and is frequently used as a crutch by developers to get breaks. While there are no concrete guidelines on what constitutes affordable housing, Smith said he has seen local affordable housing projects priced between $550 and $650 per month, per unit. He said it would likely be difficult for a private developer to meet those standards without some type of government subsidy.

Smith said he was also opposed to the lease because it would set a dangerous precedent.

“Once we start allowing developers to use town lands for parking, where is the line drawn?” he asked.

Property owner Albert Lincoln said he was “disappointed” with the decision, but he will continue to work toward a solution to the parking problem.

He said he couldn’t talk about the cost of the apartments until they have concrete numbers. However, he did say the development will need to remain a four-plex to stay economically viable.