The County of Peterborough has approved the Official Plan (OP) amendments and granted draft plan approval with conditions for a subdivision just south of the Village of Lakefield.
Keziah Holden, general manager of planning presented two reports to county council last week in regards to the Triple T Holdings Ray’s Creek subdivision commonly referred to as Lakefield South.
According to Holden’s report, the complete subdivision application is for a 910-unit subdivision planned for lands located in the Lakefield South development area. It includes properties at 2036 7th Line and 3358 Lakefield Road together with two additional properties that currently have no municipal address. The proposed subdivision consists of 263 lots for single-detached dwellings, 65 lots for multi-residential (townhouses), 10 lots for apartment buildings, two blocks for environmental protection, four blocks for stormwater management, and four blocks for walkways and parkland. The subdivision also includes a network of internal roadways intended to be transferred to the Township in the long-term.
She told council that an official plan amendment is also being processed, which facilitates the plan of subdivision.
Holden said, “The majority of the site is being redesigned to medium density residential special policy area and the special policy area permits for a greater density and permits neighbourhood commercial uses on the ground floor of apartment buildings and those neighbourhood commercial uses will be limited to an area of 4, 000 square meters across the entire development site. ”
She also reminded council that the statutory public meeting for the subdivision was held in March of this year with 28 members of the public present to voice their concerns.
The County was able to categorize those concerns into the following category:
• Traffic
• Community character
Impact to existing well water supply for neighbouring properties,
• Impact of new commercial uses on the existing businesses in the downtown area of Lakefield
• light pollution
• limitations on future development of the Lakefield South area
“By far, traffic was the largest concern that we had received comments about, specifically on County Road 29 or Bridge Street. There are concerns about increased traffic congestion, the need for intersection improvements, the single Bridge Crossing of the river, and road safety risks at peak times. Similar concerns were also raised for traffic along the 7th Line, particularly with increased traffic over what is currently experienced today and the possible need for traffic lights at the intersection with Lakefield Road.”
She went on to tell council that the County Transportation Master Plan does have a recommendation for a second bridge crossing in Lakefield and labels it as high importance.
Doug Saccoccia, general manager, engineering & construction, told the Herald the County was just awarded their environmental class assessment study for the second bridge crossing in Lakefield.
He said this study would take about 18 months to complete and will involve traffic modeling to give more details into the immediate need of the area for this second crossing. Saccoccia said that while the County does know through their Transportation Master Plan that they will need this second crossing within the next 20 years, this new study will help narrow down that timeframe.
The study will also identify a preliminary corridor (location) for this second bridge crossing and allow the County to protect the area until they are ready for construction.
Saccoccia said that as things progress the County will be hosting multiple Public Information Centres where the public will be invited to learn more about the process, costing, and hear the details as they arise.
In regards to the well water issues some residents voiced, Holden told council, “A geotechnical investigation was submitted in support of the development application, and that study was reviewed by our peer review consultant. They were satisfied with the comments relating to the impact on existing wells, and the township has included draft plan conditions, which require detail engineering design and reports, including further geo-test technical investigations, which would review groundwater conditions as the development progresses through each phase, so that will be monitored ongoing as the development progresses.”
She assured council that both reports she provided include a detailed review of the applicable official plan and provincial planning legislation.
“We have concluded that the applications conform or are consistent with those policies. Concerns raised by members of the public have been considered and will be addressed or mitigated through zoning, detailed design and draft plan conditions.”
Deputy Warden of the County and Mayor of Selwyn Sherry Senis said, “The growth that’s going to happen in Lakefield South has been talked about since I’ve been on council, and that’s been 20 years, and we’re finally getting something coming to council where we’re going to see some homes built. The suggestion that this is going to be over 20 years, I would suggests that it will be more like 30 to 35 years before it’s all built up. There are a lot of people who live there that don’t want to see a change to the Village. Progress is change, so that’s the way it goes.”
The staff recommendations to approve the OP amendment, that Triple T Holdings be granted draft plan approval with conditions, and the required Notice of Decision be circulated in accordance with the provisions of the Planning Act were carried.
