Nanaimo city council voted 8-1 on Monday to not build affordable housing on any portion of the Five Acres Farm at 933 Park Ave.
The city bought the land in 2019 to both protect the farm from development as well as a site for housing on part of the property.
Nanaimo Foodshare currently operates a community garden on the property and the former farmhouse is rented by tenants, but the plan is to demolish the house as maintenance and renovation costs are expected to exceed rent revenue, according to a city staff report. A large portion of the property is also a protected wetland
The community garden on the site is one of 10 city-owned properties that are currently growing food.
City staff reported that 76 per cent of respondents were opposed to any affordable housing being built on the property.
