When it comes to Places to Grow planning, councillors here would like to see more flexibility.
The item came up earlier this month as councillors reviewed a letter from Wellington County Warden Joanne Ross-Zuj. Her letter to the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure requested flexibility in the Places to Grow legislation.
“On behalf of Wellington County council, I would like you to request that you approve alternate targets for intensification and greenfield density for the County of Wellington as authorized under the Places to Grow Plan.
“The county is committed to implementing the spirit and intent of the provincial plan and we are now preparing our conformity amendment. There have been a number of helpful discussions between your ministry staff and county staff to justify alternate targets for your consideration.”
Ross-Zuj noted Wellington County is specifically requesting a target of 20 per cent for intensification and a greenfield density target of 40 persons and jobs per hectare.
“Meeting these targets will cause us to change past development patterns but will also allow us to retain our small town character,” she wrote.
Ross-Zuj cited a recent meeting with local councillors and members of ministry staff, to discuss the targets and efforts to comply with the Places to Grow plan.
“While there was good support for the county’s proposal, there was nevertheless, significant concerns about the ability of local councils to afford the needed improvement to our water and waste water infrastructure,” she said. “Any funding programs aimed at municipal waste and wastewater infrastructure would be welcomed and would assist us in meeting the goals of the growth plan.”
Ross-Zuj offered the following reasons why alternative targets would be more appropriate in Wellington County.
– No large urban growth centres: Unlike regional municipalities, counties like Wellington do not have major urban centres into which large scale residential and employment activities can be directed. Guelph is a separate city which will undoubtedly be the major focus of growth in the Wellington area.
– No major transit station areas and intensification corridors: In larger centres, transit stations and intensification corridors are expected to be the focus of higher density residential growth and mixed use developments including housing, office, commercial and institutional uses. Those opportunities are not available in smaller centres.
– No transit: The provincial density targets are intended to encourage the extension of transit systems to newly developing areas. Small centres do not have established or planned transit systems.
– No major office: Manufacturing areas normally generate low employment densities but in regions this is often offset by major office nodes which generate high employment densities. Again, this opportunity is seldom available in smaller centres.
– Traditional small town character: Small towns have traditionally experienced lower densities than larger urban centres. Trying to achieve the proposed provincial targets would result in a much greater change in small towns than it would in larger centres.
– Emergency services: High rise residential and commercial buildings pose issues for small town fire departments. Most rely on volunteer firefighters and do not have aerial firefighting equipment. A move to greater building heights would place added training demands on volunteers and require significantly upgraded equipment.
Ross-Zuj also pointed out regional municipalities such as York, Waterloo, Durham, and Niagara are distinguishing between urban growth centres and smaller urban centres within their boundaries by accepting higher densities and intensification in larger centres and lower densities and intensification in smaller centres. That option is not available in Wellington County.
Minto Mayor David Anderson said, “You read that document; there was a public meeting in Aboyne [recently].”
He said “the provincial government has set standards on how much Ontario is going to grow in the next 25 years.”
Anderson said the estimate is that there will be about 5 million people coming into the province, mostly through immigration. Its growth study analysis, the targets set for Wellington County, are 50 persons and jobs per hectare in greenfield areas and 40 per cent of new homes after the year 2015.
“They are looking at intensifying the growth to where it is now, rather than having urban sprawl.”
He then said the county resolution is indicating that based on the growth of Wellington County in the past, it would have a difficult time meeting those recommendations.
Anderson said the county is suggesting that instead of 50 persons per hectare to perhaps look at 40 jobs.
“And instead of intensified growth targets of 40 per cent, Wellington County, because of its rural background might only be 20 per cent.”
“They are basically saying you can’t have one program across the province. There are cities and there are rural areas.”
Anderson said the county just wanted its member municipalities to be up to speed on this issue because it would affect local intensification as well.
