A condo development at Roseland Golf Course just moved one step closer to reality, and it did not happen quietly.

Windsor’s Development and Heritage Committee approved the rezoning needed to build at 455 Kennedy Drive. On paper it is a routine planning vote. In the room it was anything but. One councillor pushed back hard, a motion to block it failed, and the whole thing exposed a bigger question about how the city sells public land. If you own property near Roseland, or you just want to understand how these decisions get made, here is the full picture.

What the Roseland Condo Development Actually Includes

Let me start with the project itself, because the numbers tell you a lot.

The plan is a four-storey condo building with 48 units. It comes with 85 above-ground parking spots and 74 underground spaces. The city first announced this back in April as the “Residences at Roseland,” a $33-million build with one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites. Pricing runs roughly from $400,000 up to around $1-million depending on the unit.

The rezoning is the piece that makes all of it legal. Without it, the land does not permit this kind of build. That is why this committee vote mattered so much. City administration told the committee it has no concerns with traffic, sewer, or stormwater capacity, and said those items get worked out during conceptual site design.

That is the clean version of the story. Now the part that got heated.

The Land Appraisal Fight at 455 Kennedy Drive

Ward 1 councillor Fred Francis has been openly against this build, and his biggest issue is not the condo itself. It is how the land is being sold.

The developer is buying the 1.3 acres for $1.5-million. Francis and area residents believe that is undervalued, and here is the wrinkle: there was no formal appraisal. City administration says the option to appraise the land was waived by city council during the Housing Solutions Made for Windsor process. Francis says he does not remember being consulted about that, on camera or off.

His argument is simple. This is public land, owned by taxpayers, so the city should know exactly what it is worth before selling it. Getting a certified appraisal does not cost much or take long. Selling without one, in his words: “You hire appraisal, you get a certified appraisal, you know what it’s worth and you sell it for what it’s worth… the fact that city council doesn’t want to do that is ridiculous to me. It’s public land, that land is owned by the taxpayer, if you’re going to sell it you should probably know what it’s valued at so you can get top dollar for it… anything else is just shortchanging the taxpayer.”

He also raised the obvious follow-up question. If the city is willing to skip an appraisal here, what happens the next time public land goes up for sale? He pointed to places like Willistead and the riverfront. When there is a policy on the books for a reason, skipping it in one spot makes it easier to skip it in the next.

I think that is the part worth sitting with, whatever side you land on. This story is less about one condo and more about the process behind selling land that belongs to all of us.

Why the Four-Storey Height Became a Sticking Point

There is a second layer here, and it comes down to consistency.

Council recently approved a three-storey housing development just a few blocks away, at Cabana Road West and Casgrain Drive. During that process, council was told three storeys was the tallest they could go. Cabana Road is four lanes each way, with sidewalks and transit running along it.

So Francis asked the fair question. If four storeys was too tall for a wide arterial road like Cabana, how does four storeys make sense inside a neighbourhood surrounded by single-family homes? On the surface, that is hard to square. It is the kind of inconsistency residents notice, and it is why height and density keep coming up in these South Windsor conversations.

How the Committee Vote Broke Down

Here is how it actually played out.

Francis put forward a motion to oppose the rezoning. Ward 7 councillor Angelo Marignani supported it. That motion failed.

Then Ward 4 councillor Mark McKenzie put forward a motion to approve the rezoning. Ward 10 councillor Jim Morrison and committee member Anthony Arbour backed it, and that one carried. Ward 9 councillor Kieran McKenzie was absent for the vote.

So the rezoning passed at committee. But that is not the finish line.

What Happens Next for Residences at Roseland

This is the part a lot of people miss, so mark it down.

Committee approval is not final approval. The rezoning still has to go to full city council for the final decision. Francis pointed out that residents will get another chance to speak before that vote happens. If you have thoughts on this build, that council meeting is where they carry the most weight.

For buyers and investors watching Windsor, the takeaway is steady rather than dramatic. One more four-storey approval moves through the pipeline, another sign that density is slowly being added into established South Windsor neighbourhoods. It does not spike home values next month. It is a longer trend line, and Roseland is one more data point on it.

Share This With Someone Who Lives Near Roseland

If you know someone who lives near Roseland Golf Course, owns near 455 Kennedy Drive, or has an opinion on how the city sells public land, send this their way before it goes to council. The more residents who understand what is actually being decided, the better the questions get asked in that room.

That is the whole point of putting this together. Not to tell you how to feel about it, but to make sure you are not finding out after the vote. Pass it along.