October 1

Wellington developer given a shorter leash

There was another important twist in the waterworks meeting last week. While Council approved a tender for a new sewage pumping station to help move waste along the new trunk line, it also gave the developer a new deadline to come up with its development charges payment.

Some background: The County has committed more than $43 million toward infrastructure servicing as part of its agreements with Kaitlin. This includes a new water tower, trunk lines, a wastewater equalization tank and, now, a pumping station.

As part of the agreement, the municipality has allocated all available waterworks capacity in the village exclusively to this developer. In exchange, the developer agreed to pay a portion of its development charges upfront rather than when building permits are issued. The amount payable for the first phase is estimated to be about $12.6 million.

However, deadlines for this payment lapsed last year. The final deadline was set for September 1, 2024. But earlier this month, the developer signalled it needed to extend the deadline again—until the end of the year.

Wellington councillor Corey Engelsdorfer urged his colleagues to insist the developer meet the agreed upon deadline.

“We were advised that if Kaitlin didn’t meet the September 1 deadline, we would call their line of credit,” said Engelsdorfer. “Now here we are being told we have to extend the deadline because we’ve been too slow. They have had 33 months to come up with something, but we’re too slow?”

The County’s Director of Planning, Peter Moyer, explained that his department couldn’t meet the September 1 deadline.

Councillor Engelsdorfer wanted to know why not.

“Why do we have these dates in place if we keep extending them?” queried Engelsdorfer. “We’ve been working toward a September 1 deadline. Why can’t we make it?”

Director Moyer said the municipality has been nudging the developer to include more affordable housing and a more diverse mix of housing in its subdivision plans.

“That took some time to organize,” explained Moyer.

Councillor Phil Prinzen asked the director what he considered possible. Moyer said, “A month minimum.”

Prinzen countered, “Alright, let’s move the deadline to October 1, then.”

Councillor Roy Pennell put it plainly, “Either they want to go ahead, or they don’t.”

Several council members worried about the bad things that might befall the County should it hold a developer to an agreed-upon timeline.

“It’s an absolutely ridiculous timeline,” said Picton councillor Phil St-Jean, referring to the September 1 deadline.

Councillor Janice Maynard followed up with the most leading of leading questions to CAO Wallace, “What will happen if we push them to the deadline?”

It’s unlikely the Ameliasburgh councillor, nor anyone else, expected the CAO’s response.

“Council has the right to ask for it earlier,” explained CAO Wallace. “There will be risks in any of these decisions. I support the director—it would be great to have a month to ensure we have a solid subdivision agreement in order—but it’s Council’s call.”

Councillor Engelsdorfer agreed to extend the deadline by a month to October 1.

His motion passed 9 to 5 with only Councillors Roberts, Maynard, Hirsch, MacNaughton and Mayor Ferguson dissenting.

The developer has a month to live up to its agreement.