Village infill opportunity

Sterling Homes makes its case

At this point, the 7.5-hectare parcel of land between the Main Street homes and the Millennium Trail at Cleminson Street in Wellington is a wild grassy field. Paul Mondell, representing Sterling Homes, envisions a housing development north of the Wellington Legion that would straddle Cleminson Street with 32 single detached houses and 14 lane-based townhouses on the east side and 207 mostly condominium back-to-back townhouse units on the west side, as well as a provision for two rental apartment buildings. The developer is seeking to change the zoning on this land to enable this development.

Mondell said he is looking to build homes for first-time buyers and seniors looking to downsize. He says he is keenly interested in working with the community and Shire Hall.

“Over my long career, I think I have only been to a tribunal once. I prefer to sit down and work with people. There is no point getting into arguments and disagreeing on certain aspects of the project,” Mondell told the small crowd in the Highline Hall.

Jane Marshall wanted to know about the builder’s plans for sustainability, such as solar or geothermal heating.

Mondell responded that while alternate forms of heating and cooling may impact the affordability of the end product, it is something Sterling Homes is investigating and is implementing on other sites.

“We do know that some of the younger families who will be purchasing these homes are looking for those types of developments. So absolutely, yes. That is something we will be keeping in mind through this process,” he said.

Dianne Scott, a resident of Wellington on the Lake, was impressed with the project. “This just makes sense. It’s what we need to see in the village right now,” she said.

Many questions revolved around how the project would fit with Wellington’s existing streetscape. Mondell said that he and his team have visited the village many times and have been taking notes on the charming architecture. “We want this to fit. It’s important that this doesn’t look like an afterthought,” he said. Mondell also told the crowd that he hopes to save as much of the existing treescape as possible. “I am a proponent of trying to remove as little shrub and tree lines as possible. We are keeping a buffer zone along the Millennium Trail as well.”

“It just seems a little too dense,” said Jim Law, whose Main Street property abuts the proposed development. “It’s more dense than any other development in town.”

Mondell confirmed that the development is roughly 33 units per hectare and noted that with density comes the ability for the units to be of a more affordable nature.

The builder confirmed that many of the units under consideration, including the back-to-back townhouses, are aimed at young people who want to work in the County and will be “a little more affordable for young families.”

As is the case lately, the crux of the matter boils down to water and wastewater capacity. As it sits currently, the County says there is no allocation available for the proposed development until the new wastewater treatment plant is commissioned unless a portion of the servicing allocation currently assigned to the Kaitlin projects becomes available.

Wellington’s Secondary Plan specifically prescribes infill development as a priority for the village. But Shire Hall has, so far, blocked infill projects proposed over the past few years in favour of a developer planning to develop the farm fields north of the Millennium Trail.

Mondell told the crowd a statutory meeting would likely be held in February, with the file subsequently going to the council for rezoning.