Both residents and Puslinch councillors are worried the proposed acquisition of Townline Road between County Road 34 and Roszell/Black Bridge Road.
Some of that concern lies in the proposed widening of the road allowance which could result in Puslinch properties owners losing 10 feet due to an increase road all
Puslinch is holding a public meeting on the matter on June 4 at 7pm in the council chambers.
At that time, the City of Cambridge will present information regarding the transfer.
The Township will present information regarding estimated costs for maintenance (capital costs) of this section of road.
Following this the public can obtain clarification, ask questions and express their views on the proposed transfer.
Township councillors will then have an opportunity to ask questions.
Councillors here recently received correspondence from Cambridge regarding earlier discussions concerning the proposed acquisition.
The letter stated “As the Cambridge Transportation and Public Works Department proceeds with the Black Bridge Road Environmental Assessment, it has been determined that there is merit in all of the lands in the study area being held in the ownership of Cambridge.”
Some conditions of the agreement would include the transfer of the land for $1 and the city would assume responsibility for all future maintenance and operation costs associated with the subject road segment pursuant to a maintenance agreement.
The correspondence indicated the most easterly one-foot of road to remain in ownership of Puslinch to provide for clarity as to jurisdiction for real estate taxation, and to enable Puslinch to continue involvement with planning applications, and driveway entrance permits involving Township properties.
At the May 20 meeting, the issue came up for discussion among Puslinch councillors.
Councillor Matt Bulmer said there are a number of times when a person thinks about where they were when a significant event happened – such as Kennedy being shot.
Bulmer said he was on council discussing the south end of Townline Road and defending property rights – when the airplane hit the twin towers in New York in 2011.
“We stood our ground back then regarding the south end and the residents.”
He said there are a lot of houses close to the road in this area.
“I’d like give the city a chance to see can do on its own side first like what was done on the south end.”
He believed the public information centre was a good way to get public input and the concerns of losing 10 feet of their properties.
Councillor Ken Roth agreed that at least one public information meeting is needed.
“We are all aware that residents in the area are very concerned and it is our job as councillors to exhaust every avenue to see that their concerns are dealt with.”
Councillor Wayne Stokley agreed.
“There are 14 residents in the area who are definitely going to be impacted.”
He noted local residents have pushed to have a three-way stop sign at the intersection of Townline and Rozell Roads “and it’s gone to deaf ears.”
He added the area can also be a speed trap with the volume and speed of current traffic.
Stokley suggested a lower speed limit might be needed.
He also raised concern with further development on the Cambridge side over the next few decades which could lead to Townline Road becoming a high volume traffic corridor.
“I don’t want to make a hasty decision at this point.”
He said there was talk of installing a sidewalk on the Cambridge side “which nobody would use”. Homes on the Cambridge side back onto Townline Road with the fronts of the properties facing onto other streets.
Stokley questioned whether the 10 feet of property from Puslinch properties are needed to make that happen.
Councillor Susan Fielding agreed that there are a number of concerned local residents.
“Council has a lot of questions and our residents certainly do.”
She also wanted to hear from public works staff as well.
Mayor Dennis Lever said that in looking at the diagrams on the proposed widening of the road allowance “… Cambridge has built right out to its border.”
Lever said “So now they think if there is a challenge to be dealt with, it’s Puslinch that is going to have to deal with the problem.”
However he said the proposal before council is Townline Road as it exists now.
He agreed that at a previous meeting in Cambridge, what was talked about was the widening of the road allowance onto the Puslinch side.
“The way the conversation went … I was a little uneasy,” Lever said.
As a result Lever did some research on the city’s transportation master plan.
“Indeed in a 20-year timeframe, the plan talks about widening the road. Therefore if the city gets a wider road allowance now, it would be able to widen the road.”
He added “there is no way I am going to support a widening of the road allowance.”
While he agreed correspondence from the city merely indicated that idea was something for the future, or pertinent to this discussion.
At the same time, Lever said Puslinch public works department has significant upcoming to on bridgework along that section of road.
“If the city assumes the road, it also assumes the liability. It’s not all a downside.”
However, he noted Bulmer’s previous discussion on the south end of Townline Road.
“It’s still a wider road, but it’s on the Cambridge side.”
Lever added “We need to be very clear as to what we are willing to support and I certainly have challenges with this.”
Fielding concurred.
“If Cambridge is the maker of the problems, they should solve them in Cambridge.”
