A developer's field of dreams turns into a planner's nightmare
A developer's field of dreams turns into a planner's nightmare
18 years after a development was first approved, after granting 10 extensions and still seeing nothing built, Trent Hills Council finally said 'Enough is enough' and denied an 11th extension
Almost 20 years ago, developer John Spina had an idea for a housing development on a parcel of land just south of what is now Blommer Chocolate Company, west of King Street.
Eighteen years ago his company Valley Green Homes Inc. received draft development approval for that idea. The problem is that’s about all that has happened. Spina still has an idea, although he changed it dramatically just last week, but his company has never satisfied the conditions established by the municipal planning department, or produced any detailed engineering plans that would allow it to move forward.
On Thursday morning, Jan. 25, the municipality, in the words of Councillor Dennis Savery said, “Enough is enough.” It voted to deny another extension, but Cristal Laanstra, manager of planning, noted that Spina could return with a new plan based on 2024 regulations, not 2006, and seek approval to move ahead.
The only councillor in favour of another extension was Gene Brahaney, who suggested giving the company four months to meet the requirements of the planning department, because he supports the need for the lower cost housing that the company is promising.
In a brief interview on Friday, Jan. 26, Spina said he didn’t want to comment publicly on the current situation.
Given the problems it’s had meeting normal planning requirements, some councillors wondered on Thursday whether Valley Green had every built a project before, but staff couldn’t answer.
However, some internet sleuthing shows that Valley Green and the Campbellford development are listed as a project by MDTR Group of Woodbridge and they share an address on Highway 27. MDTR’s website lists 13 developments in the province, including the Campbellford one. The closest other one to us is Estates of Soper Creek, planned for the northeast edge of Bowmanville. At the moment it’s just open land.
MDTR has run into opposition with its plans for the Manors of Belfountain, a project of another company, Medi-Terra Properties Corp. The plan to build 75 rural estates in Belfountain, doubling the size of the hamlet and possibly threatening local wells, has been fought by residents for years and is now opposed by the Town of Caledon. But the plan in the hands of the Ontario Land Tribunal, a developer friendly office set up by the Ford government in 2021 to handle such disputes.
A small part of the Campbellford site was developed as affordable townhouses in 2012. It faced opposition from some local residents, led by Alan Appleby, who fought all the way to the Ontario Municipal Board. The OMB rejected their complaints and the townhomes are now occupied. As part of that limited development, the entire parcel was rezoned, which is the only real forward movement in the past 18 years.
Interestingly, at one point Medi-Terra had a website showing the Campbellford property and branding it as the Gates of Campbellford. This week Spina said he wants to call the project Kingswood and locate 163 modular homes there selling from $485,000 to $520,000. Some quick math suggests that would generate a gross revenue of about $81.5 million.
“IMAGINE an AFFORDABLE MODULAR HOMES COMMUNITY in Campbellford with prices starting below the $500th ($500,000),” Spîna wrote in an email to council. “We believe strongly that this proposed modular community will be well received and it will serve as the prototype for similar communities elsewhere in Ontario. The price point should insure a sold out sign within months.”
Laanstra told council that the Valley Green project has taken a lot of staff time over the years, but they have largely been offering advice and guidance, since “no design engineering” has ever been done for the site that would allow the planners to make professional decisions.
Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf said that he chaired the January 2022 meeting when the 10th extension was granted and it passed narrowly, only because councillors were assured action would soon follow.
He noted that the documents presented to council by Spina suggested Valley Green would start marketing Kingswood’s modular homes in March. “How is that even possible?” he asked. Laasntra responded, “I would say it is not necessarily possible.”
Under provincial law subdivisions cannot be pre-sold until a development plan has been approved, so council’s decision to deny another extension puts sales on hold.
Before that vote, Metcalf said that based on Spina’s track record he was worried that council would be back in “two years again with nothing completed.”
Councillor Savery said it was time to start over and let Spina reapply. “If they want to create affordable housing and we want affordable housing, let’s work together to get it done,” he said.
Laanstra said the planning department warned Valley Green in February 2023 that nothing had been done to meet the conditions set out in 2022 and that another extension might not be granted.
In July, Valley Green sent a request seeking an extension until February 28, 2026. In her report to council, Laanstra said that in August 2023 the planners wrote Spina and recommended that the current approval for the draft plan be allowed to lapse and a new application made under current legislation.
Spina and MDTR have done the same thing in many other communities, including in Muskoka and Oxford. I wonder how much of the Province's approved-but-not-built homes are in MDTR subdivisions?