Proposed subdivision on King Edward Street sparks concerns from Councillors and area residents

By Casandra Turnbull

Councillors got a first look at a high density, mixed-use neighbourhood proposed for 305 King Edward Street in Paris.

Sifton Properties’ plans for a new subdivision were presented to Planning Committee members on Tuesday. Mat Vaughan, Director of Development Planning for the County, showed committee members, and those in attendance from the public, the site plan featuring 405 dwelling units, including 221 townhouses and apartment buildings ranging from 4-7 storeys. There’s a maximum allotment of 500 square metres of commercial floor space as well. The property is located adjacent to the Arlington Meadows Subdivision on the east and abuts Lafarge Aggregates on the west. There’s approximately 551 metres of frontage along Cleaver Road

Pictured is a map outlining where the new Sifton Properties’ Subdivision will be located at 305 King Edward Street in Paris. The plan is met with a lot of resistance from neighbouring residents and the adjoining Arlington Meadows developer.

The entire subdivision spans 24 hectares of land in Paris’ most southwestern boundary of the urban settlement area. Sifton Properties is asking the County of Brant for an Official Plan (OP) Amendment so its proposed plans will front on an urban arterial road, an OP requirement to accommodate medium and high-density housing and the traffic it brings. They also seek a zoning bylaw change from agricultural to (mixed) residential, however that matter is before the Ontario Land Tribunal and has been since October 2021.

During the October 10th Planning Committee meeting this week, the contentious site plan was received as information only, but it sparked lots of questions and prompted residents to share concerns with the proposed development.

Nancy Dolson, who lives on Cleaver Road, and Jackie and John McDonald, who live on King Edward Street, have aligning concerns about how the development will affect their daily lives from the grading and subsequent run offs around their properties, to erosion, the quality of their water source, privacy, traffic nightmares and how the severe dust from construction will impact their health.

Both asked the county, in signed letters, “will we be forced to connect to city water and sewers and who will pay for the connections?” And more so, “What impact will this zoning change have on our property taxes, not to mention the decreased value of my property?”

In the McDonalds’ letter, they stated they purchased their King Edward Street property in August of 2020, after doing their due diligence and being told, they say, that the lands were reserved residential (excess lands) and would not be developed until 2052. Continued on page 6

The McDonalds were quite surprised when they were advised of the Ontario Land Tribunal Hearing between Sifton Properties and the County of Brant. The subdivision’s proposed three storey townhouses and 4-7 storey apartment complexes will overlook the McDonald’s backyard and pool. John, who attended the meeting, questioned why higher density housing couldn’t move to the adjacent portion of the land His question was addressed by Founding Partner of GSP Group Chris Pidgeon, who represented Sifton Properties. He stated that the noise from the gravel pit to the west of the property would not be conducive to Ministry of Environment’s noise requirements and in relation to the Land Use Compatibility Study that was conducted in the area.

McDonald said his biggest concern is the health implications he and his wife will face from all the dust that will be in the air once development begins. There’s a significant slope from the east to the west of the property and Pidgeon did reveal that it will take seven metres of fill to provide the appropriate grade to connect the Sifton Properties’ development with the Arlington Meadows neighbourhood.

Councillor John Bell asked for a development timeline, given the McDonalds were told the land would not be developed until 2052. Vaughan confirmed there are several outstanding factors that must be resolved before any development plans could materialize, namely, approval of site plans, water and sewer servicing restraints and a ruling from the Ontario Land Tribunal

Pidgeon was still hopeful the phased construction could start as early as 2024 or 2025.

Councillor John Peirce was quick to shut down that notion, stating that the development is dependent on servicing and water and wastewater extensions to that end of town are not on the books in 2024 or 2025. Nancy Dolson was also present at Tuesday’s meeting. She’s lived on Cleaver Road for 30 years and her vision for retirement in a country setting has suddenly changed. While she acknowledged that development and growth are inevitable, she urged council to make sensible decisions for the better of the community.

It's not just residents who are opposing this subdivision plan, another developer with the adjacent parcel of land also has concerns.

Grandville Inc. is the Owner/Developer of the Arlington Meadows Subdivision located immediately adjacent to the east boundary of the Sifton proposal with the adjacent Grandville ownership extending the full east limit of the Sifton subdivision lands.

Al Allendorf, Director of Land Development, outlined several concerns in a letter sent to the County of Brant, with regards to Sifton’s Official Plan amendment request.

“We respectfully request that the County in consideration of its approvals for the Sifton Property include the requirement for Sifton to complete coordination of the overall grading and road design at the common property line to ensure compatibility, especially with respect to the previously constructed streets and approvals granted to the Arlington Meadows Subdivision,” the letter says, referring specifically to the significant elevation change in topography between the land that binds the two properties.

Councillor John Peirce questioned if Sifton did in fact decrease their parking spaces in the site application plan to 1.5 spaces per unit. Pidgeon confirmed that was correct, noting it’s standard for neighbourhoods in municipalities across Ontario.

“I’m sure you are aware of the huge parking issues in the county right now and part of the issues we have are developers coming in and asking for a reduction in parking, so that is going to be a tough sell I’m sure,” said Peirce.

Councillor Steve Howes asked if the apartment buildings outlined on the site plan would be rental units.

Pidgeon said Sifton Properties maintains a portfolio of rental housing, but he doesn’t think they have committed to it at this location. Pidgeon also confirmed, when asked by Councillor Lukas Oakley, that there would be no commitment to affordable housing units in this site plan. He did say that block 24 of the subdivision would be a significant retirement or ‘empty houser’ / senior living community.