Managing future development in the Municipality of Meaford was the focus of two public meetings hosted virtually by council on Monday, May 17.
In the first of the two public meetings, the municipality kicked off the five-year review of Meaford’s Official Plan by seeking input from residents focused on their vision for future development in the municipality.
An Official Plan outlines a municipal council’s policies on how land in the community should be used and helps to ensure that future planning and development will meet the needs of the community.
The scope of an Official Plan encompasses a variety of issues, such as where housing, employment, agricultural, industrial, and commercial uses should be located, along with what services such as roads, sewers, and parks will be needed to support growth.
The Planning Act of Ontario requires that the municipality consider the need to revisit the Official Plan every five years. Meaford was to have embarked on the Official Plan review last year, however the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the process.
There was significant public engagement during this initial virtual meeting, with nearly 20 residents sharing their visions for future development in the municipality. There will be a number of opportunities for public input throughout the Official Plan review process.
Preliminary Project Schedule:
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Task Approximate Timing Background Research & Report Preparation May through June, 2021 Draft Policy Options & Mapping Preparation June through November, 2021 Public Workshops & Engagement August through October, 2021 Drafting of the Official Plan Update/Amendment November 2021through January 2022 Formal/Statutory Consultation with Public & Agencies February through April 2022 (to be confirmed) Adoption of the Plan Update (Meaford) Target: April/May 2022 Approval of the Plan Update (Grey County) To follow Municipal Adoption of the Update
A Copy of the current Official Plan is available online at: www.meaford.ca/OP
• The Preliminary Scope & Issues List and other Documents & Notices relating to the review are available online at: www.meaford.ca/OPReview
• If you wish to be added to the mailing list to receive future notices, please contact municipal staff at planning@meaford.ca with your information.
• Written comments can also be directed to planning@meaford.ca and will be considered by staff, consultants and Council through the Official Plan review process.
The second public meeting held on May 17 formally introduced the proposed development of the former Stanley Knight flooring factory property located at 226 Boucher St. E.
The proposed development has raised significant concerns for Meaford residents, and as a result, 38 individuals registered to address Council during the virtual public meeting, another 125 written comments were received by municipal planning staff, and as many as 80 watched the meeting on the municipality’s YouTube channel.
Each resident was given an opportunity to share their concerns about the development, which would see the lands be rezoned to the Residential Multiple zone to facilitate the construction of a five-storey hotel and spa, three two-storey townhouse buildings, three five-storey waterfront townhouse buildings, and two five-storey apartment buildings on the lands. The Development Concept includes 90 hotel units, 14 two-storey townhouse units, 72 waterfront townhouse units, and 120 apartment units (proposed as rental tenure) for a site-wide total of 206 residential units.
The developer told Council that they plan to name the development ‘Knight’s Harbour’.
Many of the same concerns were shared by the nearly 40 who participated, with density, increased traffic for the existing residential neighbourhood, building height, and protection of access to the waterfront topping the laundry list of concerns.
Representatives of SkyDev, who hope to develop the property, told Council at the conclusion of the meeting that it was clear that they needed to go back to the drawing board, and they advised Council that they would review the many questions of residents and will provide answers in the coming weeks.
