The final two phases of a major development in Collingwood’s west end received initial approval on Monday night.
During the July 10 committee of the whole meeting, council gave approval for a site plan control agreement for Blue Fairway phases five and six, and to allow phase five of the project to proceed with conditions. Approval to proceed with phase six of the project will come at a later time, due to water allocation concerns.
However, many neighbouring residents showed up to Monday’s meeting to express their concerns about the proposed development, some based on their past experiences with the owner MacPherson Builders.
Mayor Yvonne Hamlin sympathized with the concerns raised, noting infill situations are always difficult.
“Particularly, when it’s the last piece in subdivisions that have been going on for many years,” she said. “I do congratulate the developer and the people living there [for] resolving some of these issues to the point where we are tonight.”
“I know it’s not perfect in a lot of people’s minds, and some have had trouble in previous phases. I am sorry for that, but that’s out of our hands this evening,” said Hamlin.
The 7.2-hectare site between Cranberry Trail East and Cranberry Trail West will be home to a 249-unit residential development, consisting of 177 freehold townhouses, 72 apartment units in two four-storey buildings, shared private roads, visitor parking, a gym pavilion and amenity areas.
The entire Blue Fairway project will be split into two phases: phase five includes 125 of the freehold townhouses, site works and servicing for the entire development. Phase six plans will see the remaining 52 freehold townhouses and 72 apartment units built. The land is already appropriately zoned for such a use through Collingwood's Official Plan.
The property is adjacent to the Cranberry Golf Course and is near other residential development to the northwest and east as well as the Georgian Trail to the south.
While the development doesn’t include affordable housing units under provincial definitions, the developer conceded to building 14.5 per cent of the townhouses to include accessory dwelling units.
To address concerns about retaining tree canopy on the site, the developer has also pledged to include on and off-site planting in their plans, which is anticipated to reach 71 per cent at maturity – more than double the minimum 30 per cent town requirement.
“We’ve had this particular application in hand for almost five years, and it had undergone an extensive review and analysis at this point,” said the town’s director of planning, building and economic development Summer Valentine.
The main concerns about the development brought forward by neighbours at Monday’s meeting included the reputation of the developer, water table levels and the installation of a traffic light at Hwy. 26 and Cranberry Trail East.
Blue Fairway phase two condominium corporation president Dave Dickson raised concern about promises made by the developer. Living in his home since Aug. 2017, Dickson said he had seen first-hand the developer not follow through on promises made to council.
“This builder cannot be trusted,” said Dickson. “There have been so many promises made. Everything has been delayed.”
Dickson also noted issues with flooding in his area.
“We have homeowners that are on their second or third sump pump. We have a park where every time it rains, it floods,” he said.
MacPherson Builders principal Russell Higgins was also in attendance on Monday night, and took exception to resident comments about his company’s reputation.
“I don’t want to get into a he-said-she-said,” he said. “In the last 10 years, MacPherson has had 580 occupancies. We have zero chargeable concilliations against our homes in 10 years.”
Donald Avery owns a home on Barker Blvd. nearby the proposed development. He raised concerns about potential endangered species living on the site, as well as the height of the proposed apartment buildings in phase six.
“Is Collingwood the same as the GTA, or are we a resort community where we want to see the (Niagara) Escarpment?” asked Avery. “This is an eyesore.”
Tanglewood resident Dan Hennessey raised concerns about installing the traffic light on Hwy. 26.
“The traffic has been increasing. It’s very difficult. Even turning right is difficult. Turning left is a nightmare,” he said.
Neighbouring resident David Margison also raised concerns about the light.
“Somebody is going to get seriously hurt. Can council do something... to help move this process forward to put traffic lights in?” asked Margison.
During his response, Higgins said the traffic lights will be installed first under the draft subdivision agreement and site plan agreement.
Coun. Christopher Baines acknowledged the concerns about the lights.
“It seems to me that job number one is the stoplight and the safety and necessity to get this right and soon,” said Baines.
Back in 2021, MacPherson Builders put forward a request to clear-cut the property in advance of applying for a site plan application, however, that request was denied by the council of the day following outcry from the surrounding community.
Conditions of Monday night’s approval include confirmation of water allocation, receipt of documentation from Cranberry Golf Course confirming acceptability of the plans and final approval of a subdivision plan and agreement.
At Monday night’s meeting, council voted unanimously in favour of giving conditional approval for phases five and six of the project. The decision will need to be ratified at the next regular meeting of council on July 24 before going into effect.
UPDATE: At their July 24 regular meeting of council, council voted unanimously in favour of giving conditional approval for phases five and six of Blue Fairway.
