Planners want the number of lots reduced in Baldesarra proposal
By Bill Rea

Much needs to be done before King Township can give its blessing to the subdivision proposed for the southwest quadrant of Nobleton.

A large crowd was out last Monday for the public meeting on the plan of subdivision and rezoning proposed by Gaetano Baldesarra for about 100 acres at Lot 4, Concession 9, although only a few members of the public actually participated.

Township councillors received the input offered at the meeting, and the matter has been referred back to Township staff for comments from more agencies.

The matter has already been referred to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), and staff received council's okay to attend a pre-hearing conference set for next month.

The current plan is for 245 lots for single detached homes, along with provisions for parkland, a school, commercial space, open space, a wood lot and a storm water management system. Of the residential lots, 92 are to be 49 feet wide, 122 are slated to be 59 feet, 17 will be 68 feet and 14 will be 78 feet.

A main feature of the proposed development is to be a ring road in the middle, surrounding the site of the school and park.

Planning Director Stephen Kitchen also commented the one main access to the site is to be off Highway 27.

The property is currently under agricultural use. Kitchen said the lands to the south and east are not designated for future development.

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) had a number of comments to make. In a letter dated Dec. 14, stated there were problems with the proposed storm water management pond, as well as concerns about water balance and ecology.

Kitchen also said the Township fire department has problems with there only being the one access to the site (from Highway 27). A secondary access has been proposed across commercial and drainage lands in the southeast corner of the lot, but he said there are concerns about that that wouldn't be a formal road, and the planning report stated various Township departments would like to see something more permanent. There had been proposals to connect with Wilkie Avenue to the north, but that idea was dropped because it would interfere with the wood lot. Kitchen said more assessment of that issue is needed.

The property is within the Nobleton Community Plan, meaning it is designated for residential and commercial development, as well as a natural heritage application for the wood lot at the northwest corner of the site.

A main point of concern deals with densities on the site. The proposal calls for three units per acre, while the community plan allows two, with provision for more if certain criteria are met. Representatives for the developer believe they have met those criteria, but Kitchen said the Township and TRCA are not satisfied.

A statement, distributed at the meeting by Weston Consulting Group Inc., pointed out the proposal achieves a reasonable transition of lot sizes adjacent to existing residential areas, with the larger lots to the north, backing onto Robinson Road. It also pointed to the proposed mix of lot sizes and housing types, the introduction of high-quality urban design, plans for an architectural control program and the provision of public benefits. These benefits include front-end funding of servicing infrastructure, park improvements, development of a public trail system, providing a school site and park, etc.

Kitchen argued that 167 units is the most that the community plan would allow on this property. He added there are provisions for additional units in the village, but the Slokker Canada proposal for the northeast quadrant took most of the ones that were available.

He also said more details are needed on the urban design proposals and architectural control.

Kitchen also agreed the school and park will be public benefits, but pointed out the school board and Township are empowered to require them.

The municipal water system will be extended to service this development. An environmental assessment has to be completed before the capacity can be confirmed. Kitchen said draft plan approval of the development should be held until the study has progressed sufficiently.

He also said sewers will be available in due course, and the developer will be responsible for the local collection system.

Kitchen said letters have been received from property owners to the south. Concerns have been expressed about the commercial area slated for the southeast corner, with the owners wanting some sort of separation, possibly with berms and fencing. There have also been concerns expressed about the impact this subdivision might have on drainage of the farm operation to the south.

Alan Young, of Weston Consulting, told councillors the plan has already been revised twice; starting with 364 units, being cut back to 342 in May 2005 and then down to 245 last May. He added they had been hoping this meeting could have been held earlier, but the fall municipal elections meant it couldn't be worked into council's schedule.

He defended the proposed densities, pointing out they are well within the maximum allowed in the community plan (meeting the criteria), noting the provisions for a park and school, as well as a much bigger storm water management pond and a "significant reduction in the number of units."

The school and park will be a strong central feature of the property, he added, stating they did still want to hear comments about the ring-road idea.

Putting the storm water management pond next to Highway 27 will enhance the green quality of the plan, Young commented, adding it will reduce the impacts of traffic noise.

He agreed the proposed trails will not connect with any existing system, but pointed out there will be access to Robinson Road, and to the trails that way.

Young addressed planners' wish to see the number of units reduced more, stating that was based on an assumption that all vacant residential land should have two units per acre. He said there's nothing in the Official Plan saying land must be reserved like that.

He said they had tried to get a second access from Wilkie in previous plans, but there had been concerns. Another option, he said, would be to have a median along the main access road.

"We feel that the staff position on this is not clear," Young commented, observing they want another access but will not give an indication of where.

Young told Councillor Jane Underhill they decided to go to OMB in the spring of 2005. That as in response to the staff report on Slokker, and the fact that Slokker might get all the additional density that was available.

Underhill stated Baldesarra hasn't met the criteria for greater density.

"There are many matters of opinion here," Young replied.

One man in the audience charged OMB is on the side of developers. "This is just a waste of time for the public and everyone else," he charged.

Councillor Jeff Laidlaw thanked Young for the cooperation that has been shown so far. He added he was glad to see the Wilkie connection taken out, although he wondered how the issue is going to be solved. "I don't know how you're going to get around that second access," he said.