Town planner Sally Stull has suggested it may be “premature” for a Habitat for Humanity project in Erin, but several councillors are not convinced that is the case.
“Let’s see what Habitat says before we decide it’s premature,” said councillor Barb Tocher said last week.
In October, Diane Nelson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Wellington County (HHWC), brought the idea of an Erin project to council. Since then, the organization has been recruiting volunteers and the town has been searching for a possible site for the project.
On Jan. 19, Stull presented council with a list of seven options. But due to “the large parcel required to support a costly septic system,” as well as compatibility issues and the need for a private well on at least two of the lots, she suggested a HHWC project may be “premature in Erin.”
She specifically ruled out the site first suggested on County Road 52 – a lot considered an asset of the town’s water department – because “it cannot support two smaller dwellings” (as is the preference of HHWC) due to a lack of room for two septic beds on the 78- by 140-foot lot.
Councillor Ken Chapman said he was upset the County Road 52 lot was not included in?Stull’s list of seven options, adding it was his understanding the town was about “95%” committed to handing the property over to HHWC.
“I have a problem turning down the original proposal,”?said Chapman. “To turn them down because it costs too much money is not a good thing.”
Mayor Rod Finnie said what Stull is saying is that lot would make a good location for a semi-detached home after the town had a new wastewater system.
But Chapman said there are a couple of other good options among the seven locations provided by Stull, and wondered if the town could get more details about what is required to install septic systems for those properties.
Tocher agreed, and suggested looking into three sites on Stull’s list: ?Mountainview Crescent in Erin village, a site near the Hillsburgh medical centre and the original site on County?Road 52.
“I think this is a great starting point,” Tocher said of Stull’s list. “But I don’t think we should write [the project] off as done.”
Finnie and councillor councillor John Brennan also agreed.
“I think we have some commitment to [HHWC],” said Brennan.
Finnie acknowledged there may be difficulties, but said, “I think it would be good if we can provide some site for them.”
