The zoning bylaw amendment application for the Bonarrow Meadows subdivision in northwest Rockwood is complete.
At the April 4 Guelph-Eramosa council meeting, township planning consultant Bernie Hermsen of MHBC Planning Ltd. presented the complete application and supporting reports submitted by Charleston Homes Ltd.
The proposed subdivision, with 212 detached houses and townhouses, would be located off of Wellington Road 27 (Main Street) at the north entrance to Rockwood.
The application seeks to rezone the land to medium density to allow for street townhouses, with open space zoning for storm water management and pumping station areas.
The subdivision would have two access points, one on Christie Street and one on Wellington Road 27 (Main Street), and would make a U-shape around the new Sacred Heart Catholic School.
“The subdivision, as you know, is under the authority of the county in terms of process and approvals, but you always have the public meeting and you’re a commenting agency back to county and the zone change, of course, would be considered at the same future public meeting yet to be arranged,” Hermsen said.
Along with the application, Charleston Homes Ltd. submitted the following reports:
– subdivision draft plan;
– environmental impact study;
– functional servicing and stormwater management report;
– geotechnical investigation;
– phase one environmental site assessment;
– preliminary hydrogeological assessment;
– planning report;
– stage, one, two and three archaeological assessment; and
– traffic impact study.
“The official plan designates the land as residential so there’s no need to amend the official plan,” Hermsen said.
“This plan would conform to the Wellington County Official Plan and we’re also conformed to the minimum density requirements under Places to Grow and the official plan.”
He said his recommendation was that the application be deemed complete and a public meeting be planned.
Astrid Clos, a planning consultant for Charleston Homes, said she would like to have the public meeting before the summer.
“What we’ve found is that it’s helpful for us to have the public comments in addition to the agency circulation comments so that we can address them comprehensively, so the sooner we can hear from the public that is generally our preference,” she said.
However, Hermsen said he doesn’t know if all of the commenting agencies will respond by that date.
“We would wait until all the circulation comments were in so that we could see what all of the agencies have to say; fire department, hydro, etcetera,” he said.
“I imagine that will take a couple of months … that process also may raise concerns or issues … what we would normally try and do is work out as many issues as possible before we bring a report back to you.”
Mayor Chris White said it looked like the township could possibly hold the public meeting regarding the zoning bylaw amendment application at the end of June before summer holidays begin.
“There are obviously things that are impacted by this – for example there may be some trucks going in and out and if there’s anything we can do in the summer in terms of movements on the highway and stuff like that, when school’s out that’s ideal,” White said.
However, he also said it’s essential to have all the agency comments at the public meeting so the public’s questions can be answered.
“We’ll take that back and that will be our target and we’ll see how it works out,” Hermsen said.
White said, “I think this one … may be a little bit easier than Noble Ridge simply because less housing around it, there’s no trees … the topography is flat. There’s a lot of things working in our favour here.”
