Plenty of support forproposed new residential lots in Pottageville
By Bill Rea

Six new residential lots are better than the possibility of an aggregate batching plant.

That's what several residents of the Pottageville area seem to believe, as there's considerable support for the proposed new lots. That support is not unanimous, however.

Township councillors Monday night hosted a public information meeting on the rezoning proposed by Michele Salehi and a numbered company (2077889 Ontario Inc.) for two properties on the 7th concession, north of Lloydtown- Aurora Road.

Township planners will be preparing a report, which will include comments received Monday night, as well as any other input that comes in.

They explained the proposal would involve both a rezoning and amendment to the Hamlet Secondary Plan in King's Official Plan.

They reported the two properties are on the west side of the road, and together, they take up a little more than 27 acres. The larger parcel is vacant and previously contained the Pottageville Gravel Pit operation. The smaller parcel, located in the southeast corner of the site, contains a home. The idea is enlarge that lot through a severance from the other portion of land, in conjunction with the creation of six new residential lots.

Planners also noted a small part of a provincially significant wetland is on the northeast corner of the site, and the Pottageville Swamp North is on the western edge.

The aggregate operation was on the site prior to 2001, according to planners. They said the material reserves above the water table were exhausted some years ago, so the property was used for storing concrete and asphalt prior to reprocessing. Planners also reported Salehi bought the lands in order to prevent the establishment of a batching operation, as well as to protect surrounding residential properties.

The lands are not part of the Oak Ridges Moraine, but they are in the Provincial Greenbelt. Infilling and intensification of hamlets is permitted, subject to the availability of water and sewer services.

The site is currently zoned industrial extractive, permitting a range of aggregate operations. But planners pointed out council passed an interim control bylaw in 1999 for all such properties in King. The aim was to temporarily restrict the use of these sites until the municipality had completed a study on extraction operations, that bylaw is still in place, meaning only existing uses are allowed there.

They concluded a rezoning would be needed to accommodate the residential nature of the proposal.

The owners of about 40 area properties have written to the Township, expressing support for the application, and samples of those letters were included in the agenda package for the meeting.

"After so many years of noise, dirt and traffic on the 7th Concession, it can only improve the area greatly, and I think all the residents in the area will agree that it is a much needed improvement to a situation that does not belong in a residential community," wrote Monika Carbone.

"Having lived across from this lousy pit for so long, we are only too happy to support your adventure," Jim and Carol Cox wrote to Salehi.

But there are some from the community who were not as enthused.

Janice Borsa wrote to planners, expressing concern for what could happen to "such an ecological sensitive area" from the six lots.

"Who is to take responsibility of the upcoming snowball effect this will cause in the community; when additional lands on this street and community are placed as applicants for subdivision?" she asked. "Remember, this is what everyone moves away from."

Planning Director Stephen Kitchen told Councillor Jane Underhill it was premature for him to say if this development could be accommodated with all the environmental constraints, although he did say the applicant is trying to address these issues. He pointed out there will be only one driveway access for the properties to the 7th Concession, thus reducing the number of crossings over a watercourse there.

Kitchen added there will be reviews of these efforts, and staff will be reporting back to council.

He also told Councillor Jack Rupke he knew of one other occasion when this many severances were being proposed without a plan of subdivision, and that was for a property in Lloydtown. Mayor Margaret Black was familiar with that, observing 12 homes were originally proposed, but it was cut back to about six as a compromise to the community.

Kitchen also told him a pond on the site is slated to be reshaped and possibly redesigned.

Consultant Mark Schollen, who was representing the applicant, told councillors the plan was developed with the environment in mind. He added the pond was a remnant of the aggregate operation. It currently contains no habitat, but the hope is to recreate and expand it, so it can be combined with an expanded wetland feature.

Angelo Santroelli, who owns five adjoining acres, told councillors he was concerned about water backing up on his property in the summer. He said it can't flow to the north any more, and he wanted assurances that would be considered.

Local resident John Chatten said he has a dug well that has served him well for some 25 years (although he said he did have some problems with the dry summer last year). He argued he shouldn't be obligated to drill a deeper one, adding he was concerned about residents watering their lawns, etc. and draining the local supply.

But Ryan Hanson was one of the supporters of the proposal.

"Considering what was going in, . . . I would prefer six homes," he commented.