Selwyn Township saw a packed council chamber on Tuesday evening during a public meeting regarding the Ray’s Creek subdivision development on lands known as Lakefield South.
The public meeting was held in regards to a potential Official Plan Amendment and a Zoning By-law Amendment related to the proposed Ray’s Creek subdivision. The amendments seek to change the zoning from low-density residential to medium-density residential and commercial use, allowing for the construction of a 910-unit residential development over 10 phases. The meeting provided an opportunity for council and the public to voice their concerns before any final decisions were made.
Mayor Sherry Senis opened the meeting by setting ground rules and emphasizing the importance of public input. She explained, “We’re considering a planning application that relates to an official plan amendment, this is a County decision, and a zoning bylaw amendment, this is the Township decision. County and Township staff, and the applicant’s agent are here to provide information on the proposed development.”
Senis went on to say that this project started back in 2003 when the township approved planning changes to expand the settlement boundaries of Lakefield in creating the Lakefield South secondary planning development area.
She told the audience, “For over 20 years the intention has been that this area would make Lakefield a larger village than it is now. Since 2003, there has been minimal development in Lakefield South. The speed skating oval and the south side of Kingdon Avenue are the only areas that have had any kind of development to date. It’s appreciated that given the slow pace of development that it may appear that developing in this area is a new idea, when in fact, it isn’t. Triple T (the developer) is bringing forward a proposal because the area is designated for development. I would also like to note the township has development charges in place to ensure that the costs of developing these lands will be borne by the developer and not the current taxpayers.”
Kent Randall with EcoVue Planning and Development representing Triple T Holdings then provided an overview of the project, emphasizing its alignment with provincial and municipal growth policies.
Randall stated that the subdivision would be built over a 20-to-25-year period in 10 phases. Phase One would be 110 units in four apartment buildings, each up to four stories tall. Based on approval, this would begin in 2026/27.
It was also noted that it is estimated that only 50 units would be built per year, equaling an increase in population of just 120 people per year. It was again emphasized that this was a long term development and the full impact of the project would not be felt all at once but rather would be gradually built up, allowing the township to slowly increase their capacity for the expected development.
Randall highlighted key features such as parkland dedication with 30 per cent of the lands dedicated to active or passive recreation and a required five per cent parkland use, environmental protection areas, and storm water management measures to mitigate any impact on Ray’s Creek. He also addressed concerns about increased traffic, stating that traffic impact studies had been conducted and peer-reviewed. He also said that the existing road network, with planned improvements, would be able to support the development. He said that the traffic study did point out the need for certain improvements to be made such as traffic lights at Tower Road and Bridge Street and at the 7th Line. He assured residents that the developer would be responsible for those improvements.
According to Township Planner, Per Lundberg’s report, there were no comments of concern from agencies. This included the Kawartha Pine District School Board (KPRDSB) and the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority (ORCA) which said they were in support of the development subject to conditions of draft subdivision approval.
KPRDSB’s comments stated, “It is anticipated that the development proposal will generate approximately 77 elementary students; and 39 secondary students. Elementary students would attend Lakefield District Public School. Secondary students would attend Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School or Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute for French Immersion. It is anticipated that the above noted schools have the capacity to accommodate the anticipated number of students; however, students may be accommodated within temporary facilities (i.e., a portable classrooms).”
During the meeting many members of the public as well as council members had the chance to voice their concerns about the development project. Each concern and comment was answered by township staff, the developers, or their planners.
Some of these concerns were:
Rezoning Concerns: A resident questioned the transparency of the rezoning process as they felt this change from low-density to medium-density was very abrupt. They also said that many studies were out-dated and asked whether higher-density zoning might follow.
It was clarified that updated reports had been conducted in recent years and that the medium-density designation aligns with long-term planning policies.
• Traffic Issues:
Residents questioned whether traffic studies accounted for peak congestion in the summer and at rush hour. They expressed concerns about the impact on Bridge Street and the bridge over the Otonabee in particular.
Residents were assured that the studies were peer-reviewed, improvements such as traffic lights were planned, and traffic conditions would be re-evaluated as development progressed.
• School Capacity: A teacher raised concerns that the local public school was already at capacity and that the board’s projections had not always been accurate.
They were told that the school board stated there was sufficient capacity for the early phases but acknowledged that projections may need to be revisited over time.
• Safety on Seventh Line: Residents worried about increased traffic, the need for sidewalks, and potential property intrusions.
It was confirmed that sidewalks and road improvements were planned, and fencing/security measures could be considered in future phases. It was also stated that dark sky lighting requirements would also be considered to reduce light pollution for those living near the subdivision.
• Parkland Availability: Concerns were raised about whether walkways and storm water management areas were being counted as parkland and whether parks would be built early enough for residents.
It was clarified that only designated park spaces counted toward the required 5 per cent dedication and that the first park would be developed in Phase Three.
• Environmental Protections: Concerns were also raised about Ray’s Creek and it was asked if the 30-meter buffer along Ray’s Creek would be maintained.
It was confirmed the buffer zone would be maintained and stated that any lost wetlands would be replaced through a conservation authority-approved plan.
• Future of Trail Systems: Concerns were also raised about the long-term public accessibility of trails.
Bill Turner of Triple T Holdings said they were committed to transferring the land to a steward or land trust to ensure continued public use of the trails.
During the question and answer period many councillors took the opportunity to say they were lucky to have Triple T as the developer on this subdivision as they have a track record of listening to community concerns and building within the community.
The recommendation from staff from this meeting was to receive the information provided and defer decision on the zoning by-law amendment as well as the Council resolution regarding the related Subdivision and Official Plan Amendment to a future date following consideration of public comments received.
The recommendation passed with a unanimous vote.
It was mentioned that this was likely the last public meeting to be held before the approval of this subdivision but comments will still be accepted by the township and the County until the decision is made.
It is anticipated that a final report recommending the zoning change and endorsement of the subduing will appear before township council in April.
The final decision on whether the subdivision is approved will be through Peterborough County Council.
