Shifting landscape

Artist’s concept of townhomes proposed as part of a residential development on the west side of Wellington.

Wellington development comes under fire at planning meeting

Many of the folks who have purchased and built homes near a Wellington property known as Twelve Trees don’t want to see it developed as apartment and townhouse residences. They enjoy their view. They like the fact their property backs onto a large green space. The want it to stay that way.

Several of these folks voiced their disapproval at a public planning meeting of council last week. The purpose of the meeting was to give the community and council an update on the project, first proposed last winter. It is a new feature of the development process—adopted in response to criticism of projects that appeared to spring, fully formed, into public and council’s consciousness.

Some of the neighbours of the Twelve Trees development spoke worriedly about an unmanageable increase in traffic, and how lights from vehicles entering and exiting the property could dart intrusively into their homes. They spoke, too, of the impact on their privacy arising from the development of a 30-unit condominium apartment building and seven townhouses proposed for the west end of Wellington.

The project is headed by Barry Davidson. The Huyck’s Point Road resident has never developed a project like this before—but he saw a need in Wellington for low-maintenance housing—no lawn cutting, no snow removal.

Unable to attract a developer, he decided to do it himself. He acquired the property at 411 Main Street, a large, single home on the three-acre property between Carla Court and MacDonald Street. The property is distinguished by its many mature trees. Davidson hired an arborist to assess and log an inventory of the trees. He has vowed to retain as many as he can and plant new ones to replace those that will inevitably be displaced.

Since acquiring the property in the spring, Davidson has met with neighbours both individually and by way of an open house at the Legion. He has listened, and modified his plans to address

the concerns he has heard.

The project consists of 30 apartments in a lowslung three-storey building on Lake Ontario. Seven townhomes are proposed—designed to continue and blend with existing homes on Main Street.

Speaking for Davidson, planner Larry Spencer said the current design and layout was shaped in large part by input from neighbours, the conservation authority and County planning officials.

But it was clear that not all neighbours were happy. Some with properties backing onto the Twelve Trees site feel the development is out of place in their back yard. Some fear the density of housing will radically increase traffic in the neighbourhood and put a strain on emergency services. Most don’t want to see the loss of the green space they have enjoyed.

“I object to the fact that I will have to look at this,” said Hugh Sonnenberg, whose Carla Court home backs onto the Twelve Trees property. Sonnenberg complained the entrance drive to the apartments is planned to run alongside the rear of his property line.

John Gare said the project is incompatible with his neighbourhood and could have a negative impact on the value of his Carla Court home.

Meanwhile, the planning committee became tangled up in its responsibility to encourage affordable housing. Planner James Bar suggested the application was inconsistent with the provincial policy statement that directs the municipality to establish a target for the development of affordable housing.

Some interpreted this provincial policy statement to mean the Twleve Trees developer was required to rework his plans to ensure a third of its units were priced at less than $257,000.

Spencer clarified, however, that the onus to meet its target for affordable wasn’t on the developer,

but rather on the planning authority for the regional market area. Bar acknowledged that was the case.

Councillor Gord Fox spoke more plainly.

“There is something wrong here,” said Fox. “We are going to tell a builder what to build? And what to charge?”

With this feedback, the developer and the County’s planning department will prepare the final documents for a zoning change that will come back to council this fall.