After years of discussion, it looks like final approval of the North West Fergus Secondary Plan is almost complete.
On April 20, Centre Wellington’s committee of the whole adopted the final report on the plan, which outlines a Fergus boundary expansion, as well as a report from director of planning and development Brett Salmon.
Salmon recommended council approve the application and that the mayor and clerk be authorized to execute a bylaw adopting the official plan amendment.
“Today is the culmination of a process which began in 2002 and 2003, when growth predictions showed we needed to expand our urban boundaries to meet the population forecasts Wellington County had assigned to Centre Wellington and the Fergus urban centre in particular,” Salmon stated.
Centre Wellington adopted an official plan intended to provide sufficient land within the municipality to accommodate the long-term need for housing, employment and community services.
The council of the day chose a couple of areas in Fergus for the urban expansion, Salmon said: to the northwest and to the south.
Those expansion areas were identified as either future residential or future employment lands, with a requirement for a secondary plan to be prepared. The secondary plan represents more detailed planning of undeveloped areas of the township to facilitate the development of these areas.
Further, the plans address the mix, arrangement and density of land uses; the local street pattern; the size and location of neighbourhood parks and school sites; and the location of major services.
Nigus Holdings is the sole landowner within the designated North West Fergus Secondary Plan (NWFSP) area.
In 2007, the company requested that the township initiate the North West Fergus Secondary Plan.
In 2008 the township completed the first phase of a subwatershed study to identify the natural heritage system for the subwatershed. Subsequently, a number of studies and plans have been undertaken in support of this work, as required by the township official plan.
Planning was co-ordinated with the development of Wellington County’s concept plan for Wellington Place and the proposed new Groves Memorial Community Hospital site.
Salmon said overall the secondary plan has been well received and there have been no written or oral submissions filed in opposition.
Salmon said based on the proposed Secondary Plan and the report, “it is my opinion that the proposed North West Fergus Secondary Plan conforms to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe as well as the township and county Official Plans, and is consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement.
“Collectively these plans and policies direct growth to urban areas that have full municipal sewer and water services. The anticipated density of development will meet the County of Wellington Official Plan requirements for greenfield areas.”
Part of the overall plan includes a realignment of Colborne Street to reshape the S-bend to something softer.
Salmon said this would largely be a residential area, but there is also a commitment to public open space, park space, and a school site.
While Colborne Street would remain the main east-west corridor, there is a provision for a north-south road that would link into an existing subdivision before reaching the Beatty Line.
Councillor Mary Lloyd said this has been an open relationship between the township and the developer.
Lloyd said “it is exciting to think there are going to be places to connect through trailways to urban centres in both Fergus and Elora and to have the feeling of a small community unto itself, but fitting in really well into the overall urban plan.”
Councillor Steve Kitras asked why the proposed “Street A” did not connect directly with the Colborne Street access to Wellington Place.
Salmon said the county was adamant that this not connect directly because it does not want its road system to be used like a public road system.
“They are not public streets or highways, but rather internal streets on the county land.”
Salmon said one of the other issues was that the county did not want to see its roads used as an alternative route through town.
Councillors later approved the application to amend the official plan to include the North West Fergus Secondary Plan.
