Four major developments across Collingwood were granted water allocation this week by council, putting them all one step closer to getting shovels in the ground.
During Monday’s council meeting, councillors voted in favour of allocating 215 single dwelling unit’s worth (SDUs) of the town’s remaining water capacity to developments that have come before council over the past few months: an industrial park at 120 Mountain Rd., a four-storey rental apartment building at 655 Hurontario St., a group of low-rise apartments along Highway 26 and a business expansion at 25 Sandford Fleming Drive.
“Given the importance of servicing capacity allocation to the development community – especially as the prime construction season approaches – staff have recommended that the matter go straight to council,” Nathan Wukasch, senior planner with the town, told councillors this week.
Whether or not an endorsement is given to a water allocation request is determined based on the town’s servicing capacity allocation policy (SCAP).
The SCAP is a merit-based system that allocates points to a development applying for a building permit based on the inclusion of elements in their proposal such as green technology, affordable housing, mixed uses, water conservation measures, employment generation, natural heritage protection, walkability, active transportation and intensification.
The system was first approved by council in March 2022, and was amended in January 2023 following consultation with the community.
While 95 points are possible under the scoring, developments requesting exemptions to the interim control bylaw should score at least 50 points to be eligible for water allocation, however council is given the discretion to approve developments that score lower as they see fit.
For the 120 Mountain Road industrial development, the owner and developer Manorwood Commercial Ltd. is proposing a 30-unit one-storey four-building industrial park development on the 4.08-hectare site, which will include surface parking, landscaping, constructed wetland and trail connections to the existing Mountain Road Trail south to the Taylor Creek Trail.
Under the SCAP, the developer scored themselves at 57 per cent, while the town scored them at 54 per cent. The proponent is seeking 85 SDUs for this development.
For 655 Hurontario St., owner Ryan Davidson is proposing to build a four-storey residential building with 50 apartments and both above and underground parking on the site. Vehicle access is proposed off Hurontario Street with pedestrian connections along Hurontario Street and Lockhart Road. The apartments proposed would be rental units.
The developer scored themselves at 51 per cent, while the town scored them at 50 per cent. The proponent is seeking 33 SDUs for this development.
For the SkyDev Residences at Silvercreek, which is planned to be built at 11403, 11453 and 11461 Highway 26, is planned to have a first phase of three four-storey apartment buildings, which will contain 187 apartments that will be a mixture of one-, two- and three-bedroom units.
Under the SCAP, the developer scored themselves at 83 per cent, while the town scored them at 70 per cent. The developer is seeking 84 SDUs.
Finally, the 25 Sandford Fleming Drive industrial development, which was put forward by the owner of The Flooring Place in Collingwood John Mealey, will be an expansion of the facility so both The Flooring Place and its sister business The Glass Place can exist under one roof.
The developer scored themselves at 51 per cent, while the town gave them a score of 47 per cent. The developer is seeking 15 SDUs.
When asked about the scoring during Monday’s meeting, Sonya Skinner, the town's chief administrative officer, told councillors the SCAP scoring was still being ironed out.
“I think we're still learning how to apply it well,” she said. “I would hate to put too much of a value judgment around the percentage.”
Coun. Deb Doherty said she wanted to see the Sandford Fleming Drive proponent reconsider their application before she could vote in favour of it, and cast the sole vote against the approval of that application, which did pass. The other three applications were passed by a unanimous vote of councillors.
In 2023, the town’s total water allocation capacity is 470 SDUs.
Including the four developments approved on Monday, the town still has 205 SDUs of capacity available in 2023, and has therefore decided to open a third approval process this year.
The deadline for that batch is still to be determined by the town, but is expected in the fall.
