Polocorp reaches deal at Ontario Land Tribunal
Company hopes to break ground in spring on 391 homes on St. David St. North
FERGUS – Polocorp Inc. has reached a deal at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) to build a subdivision at 968 St. David St. North (Highway 6) in Fergus.
The property, currently zoned agricultural, will have 391 homes and a block for a public school.
It contains a historic farmhouse that will be retained, but the barn and other outbuildings will be demolished.
Polocorp co-CEO Joseph Puopolo said the approval was granted on Oct. 21.
With the help of a mediator, Wellington County, Centre Wellington Township and Polocorp were able to reach an agreement.
“Once we got into the room, we were able to work through the issues,” Puopolo said.
The land is included in the township’s new urban boundary.
Puopolo said Polocorp went to the OLT because approvals were not granted within the legislated 120 days.
“It’s not our first choice to go to the OLT,” he said. “We always want to work with the township.”
And now that an agreement has been reached, the developer will continue to work with the township, he added.
The property will be serviced by the township’s water and wastewater systems, but will have its own stormwater management pond.
Puopolo said the company hopes to break ground next spring, have servicing in the ground by next fall, and building permits in place by 2028.
“People have to buy before we build, but we’re starting to see the market rebound,” he said optimistically. “The first residents could be there in 2028.”
The adjacent property at 6581 St. David St. North is also owned by Polocorp and is also the subject of an OLT hearing, along with four other properties that do not fall within the township’s new urban boundary.
The OLT is hearing the matters collectively as the five proponents all have similar arguments: that the urban boundary should be expanded to include them.
Puopolo said he can’t say much about that matter, other than the case will be heard in phases. The first phase, slated for July, will determine how much land the township needs to meet provincial requirements.
Puopolo couldn’t speculate on what would come next in that scenario.
But on the approved development, “we are really looking forward to bringing this community to life,” he said.
