MAPLETON – Council here held a public meeting on April 9 to discuss the rezoning of a vacant lot in Moorefield’s urban centre.
No members of the public offered input for or against the zoning amendment, which would permit the construction of two semi-detached homes (one building) on a 415 square-metre infill lot at 41 Adam Brown St.
The lot is within Mapleton’s central business district, which limits residential dwellings to outside a building’s main floor, but the proposal for the lot is a purely residential building.
Mapleton planning and development manager Michelle Brown said township staff feel “this will help deal with the housing crisis.
“Although not zoned appropriately for it, the applicants have gone through many versions and this one seems to work the best with the least amount of disruption to the surrounding neighbours,” she said.
“We are in support.”
In order to rezone the lot, exceptions are needed for minimum front and backyards, lot area, lot coverage, and parking locations.
There would be parking spaces on the lot for four vehicles – two per residence.
The Wellington County planning and roads department, Grand River Conservation Authority, Wellington Source Water Protection, and the Mapleton building, fire and public works departments reviewed the application and expressed no concerns or objections.
“The lands are appropriately located for this type of use,” states a report prepared by Mapleton’s planning department.
“Further, the type of residential development is also contributing to the township’s housing supply of affordable units,” the report continues.
“This type of development provides an attainable housing option for many people.”
Applicants Allen Remley and John Zwart indicated they plan to initially rent out the proposed homes, with the intention to eventually sell.
