KENILWORTH – The township of Wellington North has rezoned a Mount Forest lot owned by Aitken Custom Framing in preparation for the construction of 10 townhouses in two five-unit blocks.
The rezoning, from future development to medium density residential, was approved during a public meeting on April 7.
No members of the public spoke or submitted comments about the change.
The lot, located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Cork and Princess Streets, is 0.4 hectares (one acre) in size with about 100 metres (330 feet) of frontage on Cork Street and 36 metres (130 feet) of frontage on Princess Street.
The proposed townhouses would access Cork Street and are adjacent to the Mount Forest and District Sports Complex on Princess Street.
Other surrounding land uses include residential houses and a park.
Notices about the zoning bylaw amendment application were posted at the lot on March 13, and mailed to applicable agencies and property owners within 120 metres.
The proposed subdivision is located within the primary urban centre of Mount Forest and is designated as residential in the county’s official plan.
“The subject lands are located outside of the built boundary and would represent greenfield development in the official plan,” states a County of Wellington report.
County planners have no concerns with the application “and are of the opinion that the proposal is consistent with the provincial planning statement and confirms with the County of Wellington’s official plan policies.”
The official plan allows a maximum density of 35 units per hectare (14 units per acre) for townhouses or row houses, while the proposed subdivision has a density of 25 units per hectare (10 units per acre).
Wellington North engineers also expressed no objections to the application, and noted, “Princess Street is serviced with municipal water, sanitary and storm sewer.
“Service connection permit and development agreement are required.”
The township also requires a financial contribution to the instalment of future municipal sidewalks on Princess Street.
Upper Grand District School Board officials expressed no concerns and noted “the collection of education development charges is required prior to the issuance of building permits.”
Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA) officials stated the “property does not contain any floodplains, water courses, shorelines, wetlands, valley slopes or other environmental features of interest to the SVCA [so] permission from the SVCA is not required for this property.”
Councillor Sherry Burke asked about buffering at the back of the development, as an outdoor pool is set to be built between the sports complex and the subdivision.
Chief business official Darren Jones said no buffering is required between the subdivision and the open space.
“But when the pool … goes ahead through site plan approval we may consider buffering requirements with that application,” making buffering a municipal responsibility.
Burke also asked how the subdivision would impact the swale and ditching.
“Before building permits are issued, the developer will have to file a lot grading plan with the township to deal with stormwater,” Jones said.
Councillor Penny Renken said, “It’s too bad that this piece of property wasn’t made into recreational property to leave the whole area consistent with recreation.
“It’s certainly going to take away, I think, from the look of the sports complex and the pool.
“If you’re driving west down Princess Street you won’t see the pool and the sports complex – it won’t have the outstanding look that it does now. So I’m sorry that it’s gone into buildings.”
