A proposed residential development on Douglas Drive in Bracebridge has been deferred by council after 200 residents expressed a variety of concerns with the project.
The proposal, presented during an Aug. 6 Planning and Development Committee meeting, calls for 32 residential buildings containing a total of 199 units on 2.7 hectares at 10 and 14 Douglas Drive.
The proposed units would include a mix of housing types such as stacked townhouses, back-to-back townhouses, traditional townhouses, and detached dwellings.
Bracebridge Mayor Rick Maloney said during a public meeting residents shared concerns on density, traffic, setbacks, and environmental protection.
Maloney said because of those comments, staff have deferred the application and are taking the public’s comments into consideration.
“Staff will take all this information they’ve heard through the public consultation process, and review that,” said Maloney. “And continue to work with the developer on the proposal because there was a number of items that staff want to make sure, they understand and that those do include traffic and environmental protection.”
Jim Wouters and John Mason are two of the residents who voiced their concerns with the proposal. Say they are not concerned about new development as that was expected; however, they were not anticipating it would include re-development, rezoning, and changes to the official plan that are not aligned with the residential zone they are in.
Wouters said the development proposes to build a road over a pond and creek, which are tributaries of the north Muskoka river.
Mason said if the creek is compromised, it may raise other concerns since it feeds the golf course along with the Muskoka river.
He says that other than water being a strong theme in their argument, there are also concerns about compatibility with the neighborhood, including the north side of Bracebridge, because it will change the “look and feel”.
“Services like EMS to traffic to snow removal are going to be in a tough spot to deal with those types of units, said Mason. “You could have upwards of three or four-hundred cars on a 2.79-hectare site.”
Mason says the Ford government wants more affordable homes built, and municipalities are being rewarded financially for that, but he believes it has to be the appropriate build, by having responsible planning and building.
Wouters brings up the concern that new precedents will be set if there are changes made to the official plans and zoning. Adding that it would affect the entire municipality.
“Our schools are at capacity; our hospitals being downgraded – less beds,” said Wouters. “I mean… we’re having 199 units here; that’s a potential of over 800 more people.”
He says they are concerned if this is adopted it will affect other residential zones in town, and the town’s services may not be equipped for such an increase in residents.
Wouters also says the existing official plan, for medium density builds, allows 42 units per hectare; the applicant is requesting 78. Adding that the new official plan the Town has sent to the district, which is pending approval, is requesting 100 units per hectare.
Wouters and Mason are suggesting that the developer leave the wildlife corridor untouched, create a walking corridor going west to east towards the high school and create a public green space.
“The people who will be residing in the new build, they need green space – the kids need a place to play, people need a place to exercise,” said Wouters.
He says they have learned from planners from the municipality and the district there are negotiations that take place, typically with such a large build the municipality will insist on green space however, there are instances where the developer will pay a fee to be used in the future for that.
They have asked the municipality not to accept funds in lieu of a green space, adding that this is a property that has lots of trees.
“We’re not trying to save the forest – we’re trying to save what’s left of the forest,” he said.
