ELORA – A semi-detached house is now permitted at 484 St. Patrick Street East in Fergus.
Council approved the rezoning at the Sept. 30 meeting.
Managing director of planning and development Brett Salmon explained the intent is for the dwelling that exists on the property to be torn down and replaced with a semi-detached home.
At a public meeting in April, council heard from abutting neighbours that live below the backyard slope.
“They’re concerned about erosion of the backyard of that house and what could protect them,” Salmon said.
The plan is to remove some of the trees along the property line to the west and put up a five-foot board fence.
“We discussed the tree planting and tree removal with our forest coordinator so the site plan has come back and been through a couple if iterations,” Salmon said.
The plan is to use two retaining walls to stabilize the slope in the backyard.
Potential for erosion
“As far as the drainage, our engineering technologist requested and the applicant has accommodated that the majority of the roof runoff is going to be directed towards the St. Patrick Street side of the property,” Salmon said. “Trees to replace the lost trees have been put in the rear yard.”
Councillor Bob Foster said he is still concerned about the potential for erosion and asked for the number of trees to be planted and for a more detailed explanation of how the retaining wall will work and prevent erosion.
“I’m not an engineer but the engineers that have been retained by the applicant … have designed a system of retaining walls,” he said, adding it may need a building permit depending on its height and the plan was reviewed by the municipal engineering technologist.
Eight new trees
In terms of trees, Salmon said eight new trees would be planted.
“They’re not all on the back property line,” he said. “Some of them are just in the rear yard.”
Salmon stated the property is zoned residential, and permits semi-detached dwellings and is in an area where there are other semi-detached dwellings.
Council voted to change the zoning with Foster and councillor Stephen Kitras opposed.
