Some smaller-scale development projects in Collingwood are one step closer to being built after gaining committee approval for an exemption from the town’s development freeze on Monday.
Seventeen development projects were recommended for an exemption to the town’s interim control bylaw during this week’s (June 13) special strategic initiatives standing committee meeting, while one is on hold for a decision pending the town seeking legal advice.
“This is meant to further expedite these requests,” said the town’s community planner Nathan Wukasch. “The majority of these are minor residential in nature.”
The 17 projects represent a total municipal servicing capacity commitment of about 76 SDUs (single detached unit equivalents). The town is defining them as minor residential development, which includes new dwellings on existing lots and accessory residential units.
The projects given initial approval by the committee on Monday are:
- 111 Napier Street
- 1 Nettleton Court
- 10 Dey Drive
- 68 Georgian Manor Drive
- 33 Glen Road
- 7704 Poplar Sideroad
- 40 Georgian Manor Drive
- 65A and 65B St. Vincent Street
- 80 Madeline Drive
- 9 Juniper Court
- 132 Bartlett Boulevard
- 9402 Beachwood Road
- Summitview Subdivision (51M-1170, Lots 42-47, 181-195, Blocks 236-254, 294 & 295)
- 2 Spruce Street
- 10 Golfview Drive
- 142 Sixth Street
- 60-62 Collins Street
Preliminary approval for one project, at 500 Hume Street, is being deferred to a council meeting later this month pending legal advice. The project requires a change of use from a three-storey office building to a four-storey hotel and requires 58 SDUs and an amendment to an existing site plan agreement to proceed.
Back in May, council provided approval for six interim control bylaw requests made by local businesses. At that time, a new process was approved for ICBL exemption requests that will be in effect until Dec. 2022, at which time it will be reconsidered.
According to most recent estimates by town staff, the town has approximately 430 SDUs of water capacity it can distribute annually from 2022 through 2024. About 100 SDUs of the 430 have been allocated for development that does not require any Planning Act approvals.
Town council passed the ICBL in April 2021 after staff announced the current water treatment plant could not produce enough water to meet the demand of projected growth over the next five years leading up to the planned expansion of the plant.
At the time of the vote, the town indicated it was a one-year moratorium with the possibility of another year's extension while the town worked on new policies for allocating water to development.
Among those new policies is a three-part framework for allocating town services to new development as part of the application process.
One of those parts, the zoning bylaw amendment, will provide the town with an ultimate safeguard where building permits cannot be issued unless adequate availability of water and wastewater capacity is confirmed by the municipality.
Three appeals to the zoning bylaw amendment at the Ontario Land Tribunal have now put a halt on lifting the development freeze. The Planning Act dictates that the control bylaw (and therefore the development freeze) will continue to be in effect until the appeals are handled. Town officials have indicated it has become clear that the three appeals are not immediately resolvable in the short-term, and are unlikely to be resolved until 2023.
Between December 2021 and March 2022, council granted 18 ICBL exemptions for development changes of use that did not require any additional water.
On Monday, the committee voted unanimously in favour of the recommendation to allow exemptions for the 17 properties. Coun. Yvonne Hamlin recused herself from the vote on 10 Golfview Drive, as she noted she lives nearby.
In regards to 500 Hume St., the committee voted 6-2 in favour of the staff recommendation to defer the exemption pending legal advice, with Coun. Chris Carrier and Coun. Bob Madigan opposed.
Decisions made at the meeting will need to be ratified at the June 20 council meeting before going into effect.
