CENTRE WELLINGTON – The township has initiated official plan and zoning bylaw amendments to open more land for industrial use in Fergus.
Council heard at a public planning meeting on June 26 that the township wants to change the zoning at 965 Gartshore Street in Fergus from “agricultural” to “institutional exception” to facilitate construction of a new operations centre.
It also wants to change the land designation in the official plan at 970 Gartshore St. and 101 Gregson Court from “future development” to “industrial” as interest in industrial land is ramping up, although no new development is proposed at this time.
Breymark Homes has purchased land immediately north of the proposed operations centre on Gartshore Street and hopes to build homes there one day, although it has not submitted a development application with the township yet either.
However, Norm Litchfield, of Meritech Engineering, speaking on behalf of the developer, wanted to be sure the operations centre would not leave the home builder without road access to his land.
Litchfield said in discussion with the township came the promise that there would be access through the operations centre lands.
Colin Baker, managing director of infrastructure services, said lands abutting Highway 6 at the north part of Fergus were recently added to the urban area.
“There is potential for your site to connect to Hwy. 6,” Baker said.
Fred Hillier has a business on Gregson Court, “and I’m concerned with the road the way it is now,” he said, hoping the township would consider paving Gartshore Street past Gregson Court.
Manager of engineering Adam Gilmore said paving Gartshore Street is in the long-term plan but likely won’t happen until lands there are serviced.
