Council defers Caledonia boundary, asks for official plan approval

February 20 2009

Posted By KAREN BEST, CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER

Haldimand County council members are asking for provincial approval for their official plan. Proposed Caledonia boundary expansions will be taken up with the Minister of Municipal Affairs at a future meeting.

During a debate on Feb. 17, Coun. Tony Dalimonte urged his colleagues to move ahead with the plan to avoid delays on other crucial policies.

The council-approved official plan has an answer to a 20-year old issue with a designated corridor for Highway 6, pointed out Dalimonte.

With provincial approval of the official plan, the county will have something to illustrate county commitment to the route, he he Ministry of Transportation is poised to begin an environmental assessment on the corridor in two months, he noted.

Seeing the county at a threshold for its future, Dalimonte pointed out the potential for Hagersville's growth as employment lands in the Nanticoke industrial park are developed.

While recognizing the need to have the official plan in effect, council members expressed concern about Caledonia's housing and employment lands.

At their Feb. 9 meeting, council heard from two developers with land parcels outside of the town's boundary. One, near Douglas Creek Estates, is a shopping plaza and industrial park and the other is a housing development.

In 2006, council supported these additions to Caledonia but the Ministry of Municipal Affairs recently denied those changes. In hopes of improving their chances, Coscorp transferred its housing development and associated boundary change from land near the Grand River to land on the southwest end of town.

Questions arose on how the plan and boundary changes can both be addressed.

Planning and economic development general manager Craig Manley said all policies in the official plan will come into effect in Caledonia except where the boundary begins and ends. This issue will be part of the study looking at county conformity to the Ontario growth plan.

As part of the study, the county will require more information from developers about their plans. Deferral of a boundary decision gives the county time to prove boundary changes are necessary, said Manley.

Chief administrative officer Don Boyle said the Ministry of Municipal Affairs might approve the official plan with the current boundary. He too saw the potential to work with the province to have the former 600-home Douglas Creek Estates site taken out of the housing mix and to have other land added to Caledonia.

As directed by council, the mayor's office is seeking a meeting of county officials with the Municipal Affairs minister. The agenda is options for Caledonia boundaries.

Article ID# 1443378