Two significant residential developments were on the most recent agenda, providing an additional opportunity for the public to weigh in on the plans in addition to the statutory meetings held in August 2022.
Plan 15T-21007, or CSU, encompasses an area of 49.2 hectares fronting on Fallis Line adjacent to the existing Towerhill development and proposes the creation of 610 residential units. The second development, identified as 15T-21005 or Vargas, sits on almost 30 hectares east of County Rd. and south of the unassumed portion of Fallis Line east and proposes the creation of 263 residential units.
Public comments questioned the amount of parkland in the plans. The proposed 6.5% parkland donation in these plans exceeds the 5% statutory minimum. The developer indicated that in addition to the parkland allocation, another 33% of the CSU property and 55% of the Vargas site will be conveyed to the township as Natural Heritage areas, which can accommodate passive recreational activities.
Members of the Baxter Creek Watershed Alliance thanked Council for holding the additional public meeting and discussed potential impacts on the Jail Creek. Jail Creek flows from the CSU project through the forested portion of the former Jail property, eventually flowing into Baxter Creek. They also asked the municipality to carry out a peer review of the flood management approach proposed by the developer’s consultants to investigate potential flooding risks, which was agreed. They also expressed concern about the potential impacts to the trout population in the Jail Creek from potential changes in water temperature, water chemistry and sedimentation resulting from the development. KG
