Tribute hopes to add units to Creemore development
Members of the public were given a chance to air concerns about proposed changes to a planned subdivision for Creemore at a special Clearview Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday.
Tribute Homes has asked for an amendment to the township’s Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw that would allow as many as 536 units to be built in the area east of Mary Street and south of County Road 9.
The original Plan of Subdivision with Alliance Homes, approved following an Ontario Municipal Board hearing fifteen years ago, allowed for a total of 498 homes. Fifteen single family homes have already been built along Mary Street and a further 10 units have been registered. These will be accommodated in a four-plex and a six-plex. That leaves 473 units approved in the original Plan of Subdivision with a mix of low, medium and high density. They were to consist of 93 single family dwellings and 380 condos.
Tribute is asking the township for permission to build 68 condo townhouses and as many as 468 single family dwellings on a mix of 30-, 38- and 50-foot lots. Speaking on behalf of Tribute, Land Use Planning Consultant Celeste Phillips said it is impossible to predict what home prices will be by the time these units are finally built, but the hope is that the smaller lot size will keep them attainable for first time buyers. When asked about timelines for construction, Phillips said the optimistic prediction would be earth works and site grading beginning in 2024, followed by installation of roads and other infrastructure with the first building permits being issued in the fall of 2025.
Creemore Area Residents Association (CARA) president Greg Young spoke at the meeting saying they are in support of growth, and recognize that the community needs it. They do, however, want to ensure that the unique character of Creemore is maintained. He does not believe that a string of townhouses along County Road 9 would be an appropriate sight to welcome visitors and would prefer to see more singles. Young also asked that the township ensure sufficient services are in place in advance of any construction, and that infrastructure improvements should be funded by the developer and not become a burden on taxpayers. The Tribute proposal would see most roadways in Creemore Commons assumed by the municipality versus maintained as condo roads as was the case in the Alliance plan.
CARA secretary Valerie Dyer stressed the importance of phasing in population growth to ensure services can keep pace and suggested that each phase of the project should be 70 per cent complete before the next phase starts.
Township staff will now consider all the feedback received and prepare a recommendation to council. Council will then vote to adopt or deny the request for a change to the Official Plan and forward to Simcoe County for approval.
A second public information session is planned for late summer or fall to provide updates on the Master Servicing Plan and the East Creemore Drainage Study.
