Current settlement area as defined by the Official Plan shown in blue. The additional lands are outlined in black.
A public meeting was held Sept. 14 to hear comments from the public about a proposal to add about 330 hectares of land located in the northeast and southeast, to the Stayner settlement area, triggering an amendment to the Official Plan. Almost all of it, 98 per cent, is prime agricultural land.
Staff had proposed a more general boundary expansion study area but so called strong mayor powers were invoked in the spring to approve $150,000 in funding for a primary study area, to be completed within 90 days.
“The proposal that was put together by our staff here and council directed this to be done back in May, is a direct result of having a vision for the future,” said Mayor Doug Measures. “We have to start somewhere if we’re going to ever expand.”
In May, Measures told The Echo, “We already have specific interest from three developers in lands adjacent to the northeast corner of the existing settlement. These are areas that will be served by the Klondike Park water project when it comes on stream. There are agreements in place with the developers to contribute financially to the infrastructure project, subject to the Stayner Settlement Area Boundary Expansion. In short, they will delay payment until those lands are included in the settlement boundary.”
He said water will start flowing from the new Klondike Park well by 2027, so the township needs to get these lands recognized as part of the Stayner settlement area.
Although not part of the expansion at this time, a secondary study area was outlined encompassing a 1.5 km expansion to the general boundary.
“The reason that area is identified is to note that in accordance with provincial guidelines, we are required to identify any farms and livestock operations within that area to determine whether any of the boundary changes could impact or be impacted by minimum distance separation requirements from the farms in that broader area,” explained consultant Steve Wever, president of GSP Group.
The principal unavoidable impact of the expansion is the conversion of prime agricultural land,” reported Derek Abbotts, director of panning and building for the Township of Clearview, adding that significant impacts on adjacent agricultural uses is not anticipated. “...the Primary Study Area already functions as a fragmented, near-urban agricultural landscape and that the proposed boundary follows existing road networks, avoiding additional severances or landlocking of farm parcels. Because Stayner is surrounded by prime agricultural lands, lower-capability alternatives identified in the broader area are limited and often constrained by environmental features; a boundary expansion that entirely avoids prime agricultural soils is therefore not feasible.”
The study asks what it would take to feasibly service 40,686 people living within the Stayner settlement area, considering developable land, water supply and sewer servicing.
“For infrastructure-testing purposes, the study applies a theoretical service population of approximately 40,686 persons at full build-out, based on an existing residential population of roughly 5,325 persons, potential capacity for about 7,052 additional units within the current settlement boundary, and approximately 4,735 units within the expansion lands. These figures are used strictly for engineering analysis and do not represent growth forecasts, development entitlements or population allocations,” reported Abbotts.
Three residents came to the podium Monday to clarify when and how the boundary expansion would be realized. They were assured that the expansion would take time and the cost of servicing expansion would be borne mostly by the developers who take on the building projects.
Staff and consultants will assess the comments made Monday. The Official Plan amendment requires approval by the County of Simcoe and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. It will be posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario and will have a 30-day commenting period.
