A development of 24 homes fronting on Cathcart Crescent and Sharpe Line is in the early stages of consideration by County and Township planning departments.
A Public Meeting was held during the July 4th Council meeting to obtain feedback from Council and residents regarding a proposed residential subdivision in the Hamlet of Springville.
Woodview Properties Inc. has applied to Peterborough County for approval of a subdivision on a 26.9 acre property with frontage on Cathcart Crescent, Ashley Crescent and Sharpe Line. The proposal consists of twenty-four residential lots for single detached homes on private wells and septics, a stormwater management block and 2 wetland blocks. The lots would be accessed from three new streets.
The project requires a by-law amendment to rezone the lands from their current Future Development Zone to the Hamlet Residential Zone.
Participating in the meeting was Iain Mudd, Manager of Planning for Peterborough County and County Council member Jim Whelan. A number of issues were raised by Council and residents about the proposal.
Deputy Mayor Graham expressed concerns about the potential conflict between future residents and the adjacent farm, noting that farming activities often result in dust, odours and noise and sought a mechanism to avoid these challenges. One of the mechanisms to address this issue is to put a “red flag” condition on title indicating that the property was adjacent to an active farm, which could be utilized in this proposal.
Another concern expressed by Councillor Shaw and local residents was the impact of 24 new private wells on existing well performance. Local resident Mark Andrews reported that since a test well was drilled, the rate of water replenishment of a neighbouring well on Ashely Street has declined from historical rates. He was concerned that other wells in the area would need to be drilled deeper should the additional new wells be established.
Mr. Mudd explained that the application includes a hydrogeological study which was peer reviewed, which indicates that the property can handle the extra water demand from the new wells that form part of the proposed development. When asked if there could be recourse to the developer after the fact should existing well capacities be compromised, Mr. Mudd said he was unaware of this ever happening in the past, but said he would investigate the opportunity to establish a potential recourse mechanisms which could be used in this project.
Project Engineer Mike Davenport indicated that the ground water is being monitored through a number of wells to establish a baseline which will establish existing water servicing capacity. These will quickly identify any impact of road and house construction on associated wells.
Residents also expressed concerns about the style of the new homes. Director of Planning Karen Ellis explained that the township can control the height and setbacks of new homes, and ensure they meet code and other regulations. Beyond those regulatory tools, planning efforts focus on encouraging a mix of styles and types of homes. The architectural style of new homes is influenced by the buyers and the builders, and of course beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
This subdivision is currently under consideration by Peterborough County, which is collecting feedback from commenting ministries, agencies, the township and its residents. A summary of this feedback, public comments and staff recommendations will be included in a report to Council at a future date. KG
