Township of Blandford-Blenheim Council approved, in-principle, a zone change application from the Tiffany Development Corporation for a Drumbo subdivision during the regular Council meeting on Wednesday, December 4, 2024
In regards to the location of the proposed development, the subject lands are located on the north side of Oxford Road 29, between Duke Street and Blenheim Road. The land is approximately 14.5 ha (36 ac) in area and vacant of any buildings and structures.
According to the report prepared by Dustin Robson, Planner for Township of Blandford-Blenheim, the Official Plan Amendment application asked to change part of the land from ‘Low Density Residential’ to ‘Medium Density Residential’ and ‘Open Space’ to allow for the first phase of a new housing development.
The Draft Plan of Subdivision application for the first phase covers about 5.5 hectares (13.6 acres) and includes 47 single-family home lots and 15 townhouse units, all with access to municipal water and sewer services, as well as a stormwater management block, a park block, the extension of Jarvis Street, and the construction of a new internal road connecting Oxford Road 29 to Jarvis Street.
A zone change application was also proposed to change part of the land from ‘Special Development Zone’ and ‘Special General Agricultural Zone’ to ‘Special Residential Type 1 Zone,’ ‘Special Residential Type 3 Zone’ and ‘Special Open Space Zone.’ The remaining land would continue to be zoned ‘Special Development Zone.’
Robson noted that the proposal has been circulated both internally and externally and that Enbridge, Canada Post, Hydro One, Bell and Rogers have all provided comments, as well as Oxford County’s Public Works Department, who provided a number of conditions.
“One comment I did want to bring Council’s attention to is regarding the number of units in phase one. They have advised that for phase one, they are comfortable in supporting 47 units, but they are not comfortable supporting 62 units,” said Robson. “For background, this comes from the internal wastewater and water protocol that the county has. …The wastewater treatment plant has a finite number of capacity, and you’re supposed to be keeping track of how much is going out and being very mindful as you’re reaching that limit. The protocol allows for up to 25 units being approved at a time, but it does allow for discretion for the Public Works Department. In this case, Public Works, in order to allow for the looping of the water system, is comfortable at 47 units, …but at 62 units, Public Works feels that that is getting just simply too far away from the standard 25 that is generally allowed.”
With all of that, staff were recommending that all the applications be approved, noting that the number of units should be capped at 47 for the time being.
Noting that down the road, the developer is hoping to complete the rest of the subdivision, roughly 200 to 250 units, Brandon Flewwelling of GSP Group, representative for the developer, stood to address the number of units for phase one and the rationale behind it.
“For the first phase of approval, we feel that a number of 62 units is appropriate. It provides for good engineering design, and further, about the looping, it’s really about making sure there’s no dead ends in the service and so that water is always flowing and somebody’s not at the end of the pipe,” said Flewwelling. “…There’s a couple reasons for the rationale for including the two townhouse blocks; It would complete the south side of street C, or the extension of Jarvis Street, so that services could be installed at this point in time when the road is dug up and when the land is graded. Everything could be prepared so those townhouses could be ready to go [because] if you don’t do that, you end up with sort of a single loaded street and then at some point in the future you have to come back again and do another phase to rip up the street and install the new service connections to the townhouse lots.”
Flewwelling also said that having the 15 townhouse dwellings would also provide more options for the community, especially those looking into downsizing, rather than just a single detached home.
When Councillor Bruce Banbury asked about the current capacity in regards to the wastewater treatment plant, Robson said that there is enough space for 94 units, but with another 33 lots set for Peterson Street, those and the proposed 62 units of the first phase would account for the 94 unit capacity.
Members of the public then had the opportunity to speak to their own concerns, including the standstill on the Peterson Street development, concerns for school, fire, police and ambulance capacities, taxes, elevation changes, flooding issues and the potential of an unfinished development site becoming a place where people drop their garbage.
Later, Councillor Tina Young said that while she was comfortable with approving the 47 units recommended by Public Works, after hearing the public’s concerns, she was worried about leaving the first phase of development unfinished.
“If we’re hearing that we have some started developments that don’t get finished, then we’re leaving a chunk of land that is going to possibly sit for quite some time,” said Young. “I know Oxford County is comfortable with the 47 units and I agree, but I do also think that leaving that undeveloped space is kind of the concern we’re hearing about some of the other lands and that makes me a bit nervous.”
Councillor Banbury agreed with Young, noting he was supportive of allowing the 62 units of phase one to be developed.
Councillors Daryl Barnes and Nancy Demarest said they would also be in support of the 62 units.
“Tiffany Developments is coming to us with experience and a very well thought out plan here. I was very impressed with some of the additional information that was provided. The other thing that I found really interesting was the style of the 15 unit townhouse bungalows that were being proposed,” said Demarest. “I guess that’s the second reason, and man, do we ever need those. Going door to door when campaigning, that was always the top three of what people wanted. These 15 units that sort of specifically target our folks that want to retire seems to be something that we really need.”
Mayor Mark Peterson said that while he was unsure of the stance he would take when first coming into the meeting, he was also leaning towards allowing the full amount of units for phase one.
“When I sit and look at the map, and I look at it finishing that street off, that’s the part that kind of catches my eye,” he said. “…For me, I could have gone either way, but to finish that street off, it tends to kind of make sense to me.
The vote to approve the zoning changes, as well as to allow for the full 62 units of phase one, was then carried unanimously.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
