Plans are in the works to build two apartment buildings behind the former Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Place of Worship on Exmouth Street.
Official plan and zoning bylaw amendments were approved, with no objections, for redevelopment of the vacant lands Monday.
Senior Development Planner Max Williams said two, four storey apartment buildings, each with 32 residential units, are proposed on two acres at 1244 Exmouth St.
"The property is located on the north side of Exmouth Street, west of Pontiac Court, in an area with predominantly single detached residential dwellings to the west and south," said Williams.
He said the development was appropriate for the land.
"It is on a major arterial road and adjacent to a major provincial highway and in proximity of all the major services required for multi-unit residential dwellings."
Williams said the buildings would be located on the north section of the site, adjacent to Highway 402, and away from lower density residential uses to the west.
"This separation, along with retention of the mature trees along the east, and west, and north property lines would minimize the impact of the proposed buildings on the adjacent users."
Williams said the proposal also supports the city's intensification target and goal of providing new rentals on fully serviced urban lands.
He said the applicant has indicated no plans to make external changes to the structure of the vacant worship building, but approval was given to convert it for residential use if they choose.
The worship building, which has three ornate domes, was constructed in 1969 and sold in January 2021.
While the building has a number of architectural attributes which would likely meet the criteria for heritage preservation, it is not listed in the City of Sarnia Heritage Register and not protected under the Ontario Heritage Act.