Environmental component will part of proposed subdivision
By Bill Rea

A proposed 14-lot subdivision plan near Cedar Mills has been in the works for some years, but things are progressing.

About 15 people were out last Wednesday for a public information meeting on the development, slated for about 36 acres at Lot 20, Concession 7 (Albion). The property is on the west side of Mount Hope Road, a short distance south of Old Church Road.

Town staff will be preparing a report on the matter to go to Caledon council.

Casey Blakely, senior development planner with the Town, reported this was the second such public meeting for this proposal. The first was in November 2005, and she said this second session was required because of the amount of time that had passed.

The property is located on the Oak Ridges Moraine, but since the application process started before the moraine conservation plan came into effect, this application is not subject to some of its conditions.

The property is also part of the Palgrave Estate Residential community in the Town's Official Plan.

The subdivision is to be serviced by private sewage systems and regional water supplies.

Blakely pointed out rezonings are being sought for the building envelopes on each lot, to give them a rural residential classification. She added the houses and septic systems will have to go within those envelopes. The remaining lands on each of the lots will have an environmental zoning.

The subdivision is to consist of one road, running west from Mount Hope and ending in a cul-de-sac. Blakely said there is a pond feature planned for the eastern end of the property, at Mount Hope. There's also a plan to convey a block of land at the west end to the Town for storm water management purposes. There are also provisions to leave a block along the south side of the road vacant, in the event a connection with lands to the south is wanted in the future.

There have been a number of comments from various departments and agencies. The Town's corporate services and treasury department reported the site is currently assessed as farm land, with an assessed market value of about $134,000, meaning the Town realizes about $98 in taxes. The proposed development would see almost $15,000 in taxes for the municipality.

Planning consultant Paul King commented the application was first submitted in 2000, and was caught up in the review that accompanied the development of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP), which put a lot of the work on hold. He also commented on the previous public information meeting in 2005, stating there have not been a lot of changes to the proposal since then. There has been work done to address concerns raised by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). He said there is a wetland complex to the south of the proposed road in the middle of the development. They originally weren't going to worry about it because it's so small, but King said TRCA wants it to remain. The proposed road pattern hasn't changed much, with the possible exception of allowing for the connection to the south. King also commented that the lands to the north have a lot of varying slopes, meaning a road connection there probably wouldn't make much sense.

As well, he pointed out there will be a "fairly significant amount" of wet and environmental lands that will be going to TRCA, but they will be able to get the 14 homes in. "The lots still all work," he declared.

Preliminary engineering work has been done, King added, and he said that will be fleshed out as approvals come along. He added engineers have come up with a plan to maintain predevelopment water flows, quality and quantity.

He also said they are proposing reforestation all through much of the environmental lands, as well as in some areas of the building envelopes. This is being done in conjunction with TRCA.

One man at the meeting wondered about the steps to mitigate disruption in the area during construction. King told him the developer will enter into a site plan agreement with the Town that will address issues like that. He added the Town would have better information on how they regulate such things. Councillor Nick DeBoer, who was chairing the meeting, assured him the Town has its standards. "You can still have your 6:30 morning coffee," he quipped.

King told Councillor Richard Whitehead he wasn't sure who would own the block of land being set aside for the possible road connection to the south. Whitehead said it's important to know who would be expected to pay for this possible future road.

Blakely said it would be designated as a future road and conveyed to the Town.

Whitehead also said people buying lots next to that parcel of land would have to know they might end up living on a corner lot.