Development continues north of Saugeen River

Development plans continue in Southampton (Township) north of the Saugeen River.

Earnest Properties Inc. applied for a zoning By-law amendment regarding the triangle shaped property between Turner St. and Bruce Rd. 13. It has been proposed that it be severed into three lots for a single detached dwelling and two semi-detached units.

      Proposed development property – Turner St.(L) and Bruce Rd. 13 (R)

The application is to change the zoning to R1Special and Environmental Protection (EP) due to a portion being significant woodland.  The tree retention area, 30 per cent of the property, along the eastern boundary (Bruce 13) is to be protected and the Town will also ask for 5 per cent cash in lieu of parkland.

All five driveways for the proposed dwellings are to exit on to Turner Street and County Transportation did not express any concerns over the additional traffic that will be generated.  According to the County Planner, there are also draft plans for a 15 detached dwellings subdivision directly across Turner Street from the proposed Earnest application.

 

Resident Ron Woodham expressed concern over the number of driveways as Turner Street is narrow with no sidewalks and is very close to the intersection of Turner Street and Bruce Road 13.  He also suggested a townhouse and single detached dwelling formation.

Although a townhouse development had been considered, Dustin Earnest explained that “… the proposed semi-detached dwellings are a good fit on the site and will allow for more green space and better drainage.”

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Deputy Mayor Diane Huber asked if consideration had been given to the unopened road allowance of Oak Street.  Vice-deputy Mayor also asked if the Oak St. 66 ft. wide unopened road allowance had been considered when the Town analyzed surplus lands.  “Perhaps, we could work with the developer for higher density. I am suggesting the road allowance be possibly built into the land mass owned by this developer.”

Councillor Bud Halpin suggested that the land be left as a source of carbon sequestration and a town contribution to the environment.

Ron Davidson, the applicant’s planning consultant, explained the (Earnest) development is an infill proposal.  “If the Town deems the unopened road allowance to be surplus, the town could sell it to anyone and easily a three-unit townhouse could be developed.  For this developer to perhaps purchase the land would mean a year’s delay as another EIS would have to be done and application submitted.”

Mayor Luke Charbonneau however, drew the discussion to a close saying that the draft proposal for the Earnest property and the unopened road allowance were separate issues.