CLIFFORD – The Town of Minto has approved a zoning amendment to allow the development of two townhouses with a total of 26 units in the town of Palmerston.
Council approved rezoning of a 2.77 hectre (6.84 acre) property from Residential (R2) Zone to Residential (R3) with site specific exceptions to permit a 19-unit cluster townhouse development with access from Henry Street, and seven street townhouse units with frontage on Henry Street. The amendment was approved at a special planning meeting of council held at the Clifford Community Hall on Aug. 13.
Also approved were several exceptions to the R3 Zone to permit the 19-unit townhouse cluster development:
– reduced front yard setback from 7.6m to 4.2m;
– reduced exterior side yard setback from 7.6m to 2.9m (to unit 13);
– reduced exterior side yard setback from 7.6m to 4m (to accessory structure only;
– reduced interior side yard setback from 6m to 2m (to unit 19; and,
– reduced interior side yard setback of 2.9m (to units 1 to 11).
Exceptions to R3 zoning to permit the seven-unit street townhouse development include:
– reduced exterior side yard setback from 6m to 4.7m (to unit 26 Henry Street; and
– reduced exterior side yard setback from 6m of 2.4m (to unit 20 Henry Street).
A report from Wellington County planner Michelle Innocente states planning staff have no concerns with the application as the townhouse development is consistent with provincial policy and meets the criteria of the County Official Plan.
A report from Minto building assistant and planning technician Michelle Brown notes that based on the number of units proposed, the applicant will require Site Plan Approval prior to issuance of any building permits.
Chief building official Terry Kuipers noted the proposal has been working its way through the approval system for the past 18 months and has now reached a point where there was a need for zoning relief as a part of site plan approval.
Developer Dan Sinclair stated he was eager to “get going” on the project.
“As everybody’s aware we’ve been waiting for this meeting for a while because of the unfortunate circumstances going on in the world but I just wanted you guys to know, as a long-term investor in the community I’m very excited for this project,” he stated.
Mayor George Bridge pointed out there is “definitely a need for rental accommodations,” in the community.
“Thank you for putting your investment into the town,” Bridge said.
Townhouses in Harriston
Also approved at the Aug. 13 meeting was a minor variance to allow construction of three separate cluster townhouse blocks with reduced side yard setbacks at 120 Arthur Street West in Harriston.
The 3.45-acre (1.39 hectre) property, owned by local contractor Wayne Ditner, already contains one five-unit and one six-unit cluster. Two additional five-unit clusters and one four-unit cluster are planned.
Chief building official Terry Kuipers noted the zoning deficiencies exist because of the proximity to a road allowance that runs between the property and Harriston Packers’ Arthur Street facility.
Kuipers explained the road allowance leads to the Maitland River and “there is no anticipation from a staff perspective that it would ever go though.”
The allowance was in the original plan of subdivision for Harriston and “we currently use it for one of our main storm outlets,” he said.
The motion was approved.
