With multiple Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments being considered by Collingwood councillors during public meetings over the past few months, a resident raised concern this week regarding the overall volume of requests from developers during one such meeting on Monday night.
During Monday’s (Feb. 27) regular meeting of council, a public meeting took place regarding a new proposed development in Collingwood’s north-west end at 11555 Highway 26. Currently home to Greentree Gardens and Emporium, the meeting was called to receive questions and comments from the public for the new project, termed the Greentree Development.
Colin Inglis, representing residents of Lighthouse Point, raised concern that this was the second time in the past year that council was considering Official Plan and zoning bylaw amendments for properties that are essentially neighbours. He noted there are three applications on the books regarding major developments within the stretch of Highway 26.
The first was a proposal considered in January for a Wyldewood condominium project off Vacation Inn Drive. Another, last considered earlier in 2022, was for the Residences of Silver Creek developments.
“The casual observer might think an Official Plan should be comprehensive and unassailable. The reality is, that official guidelines might be a better term given the ease with which they are altered or challenged,” said Inglis.
The owner of the 4.62-hectare property, Sherwood Homes Ltd., is hoping to build a 512-square-metre commercial building to fill the space currently occupied by the existing building on the site, as well as 55 residential condominium townhome units to be constructed behind the commercial building. Parking for 28 vehicles would also be included as part of the commercial building.
The developer, who was represented by agent Krystin Rennie of Georgian Planning Solutions at Monday’s meeting, is currently looking for an Official Plan amendment and a zoning bylaw amendment to change the zoning of parts of the land to allow for different commercial uses on the commercial part of the land, and townhomes on a portion of the recreation part of the land.
Specifically, the zoning for the commercial part of the land currently only allows for a garden supply outlet, hotel or motel. Changes to the zoning for that section would remove those uses, and instead allow uses such as medical or real estate offices, a convenience store or a restaurant.
The section of the land to the west of the commercial area is currently zoned as recreation. Changes to that section would allow about half of the recreation portion to instead be changed to residential to allow for the townhouse development.
Inglis also raised concerns about planning consistency, active transportation and the joining of trails. Resident James Dalziel posed questions to town staff and the developer regarding the type of commercial development planned for the commercial building on the site.
Coun. Christopher Baines asked where residents of the new development would go for recreation. Rennie noted the remaining recreation area on the site would include play areas, benches, trails and connectivity to existing trail systems.
Mayor Yvonne Hamlin asked if the roads through the townhouse development would be public. She also asked if the heavily treed area on the site would remain.
“It would be a private condominium road,” said Rennie, also noting the trees may have to be removed due to stormwater management, however the developer has a tree preservation plan that includes planting two trees for every tree they remove.
No decisions were made during Monday’s public meeting. Town staff will now take all comments and questions submitted by the public and council during Monday’s meeting to present at a later date prior to council making any decisions on the file.
For more information and to access the completed studies on the project, click here.
