Sunny Life apartment moves ahead
Council supports rezoning application for Church Avenue building
Trent Hills council has approved a request to change the zoning for Sunny Life Properties’ planned 80-unit apartment building on Church Avenue in Campbellford.
At its meeting on June 24, council approved the plan to rezone from development, which is a holding designation, to high-density residential a 1.26-hectare (2.96 acres) site that has been severed from a parcel that will also have 44 homes on the remaining 3.91 hectares (9.66 acres).
A report from planner Cameron Law said the developer has decided to build a three-storey apartment building with a basement for amenity space. The overall height of what is planned has been reduced to 12.5 metres (41.1 feet) which meets current bylaws. Earlier, Sunny Life was suggested a façade that raised the overall height to 15 metres, which is beyond the current limit and would have required special approval.
During a public meeting last October, residents raised concerns about water and sewer services for the location. A staff report says the town is meeting with the developer to get those finalized before the severance is permitted. I wrote about the severance approval in late November.
“Staff have requested additional details and updated plans for traffic and stormwater management, as well as additional details on servicing upgrades to be carried out by the developer,” the report says.
Planning Director Jim Peters told council that the municipality has enough capacity to serve this location, but pumps will be needed to increase water pressure, since it is on a hill.
The report said the planned pumping station will improve water pressure for all homes in the area.
Sunny Life has said it hopes to start construction this year and be finished with a year.
“We need purpose-built rental units in this municipality,” said Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf.
Councillor Daniel Giddings said he was glad that the developer was reducing the height of the apartment building. “A flat roof is better. People move here because it’s not the city.”
Faux Rd. severance moves ahead
A hydrogeological report says there should be no problems with water wells in the Faux Road area if new homes are built on two severed lots.
The report was one of the conditions council imposed last November when it gave provisional approval to a severance at 20 Faux Road and County Road 35. Several nearby residents feared any more homes would reduce the amount of water they get or affect its quality.
The study by Oakridge Environmental Ltd. declares there should be sufficient water.
“Based on our assessment, it is clear that sufficient groundwater resources are available to support future development of the site. Water supply should be obtained from a drilled well,” it says. “Regular domestic use of newly constructed wells on the proposed severed lots is not expected to have a noticeable effect on neighbouring well use.”
Bridge to be closed to pedestrians
Council has approved a plan to completely block off a bridge over Trout Creek on Balaclava Street, between Raglan Street South and Pellissier Street South in Campbellford.
The bridge built in 1910 is 12.2 metres long and 5.5 metres wide. Due to safety concerns, it has been closed to vehicles since May 2000.
The public works department says the latest engineering study found the bridge has deteriorated and recommended the bridge be closed completely.
“A full bridge replacement (at current width) is estimated to be over $800,000, an additional option would be to install a pedestrian-only bridge which staff would further investigate costing for the next report,” wrote Tanya Redden, Manager of Capital Works and Asset Management.
Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf said the location would be a good spot for a pedestrian bridge.
Second mural under way
The town’s new mural strategy is supporting a second artwork.
I wrote about the first mural supported by the town for D’s Modern Caribbean Cuisine. Now, a second mural is being painted on the back of the Esso gas station on Front Street north.
Council agreed to pay $1,750, half the estimated cost of the work by Christopher Bennett, whose company is Serna Custom Artwork.
I stopped by the station after the council meeting and Bennett was just getting started. He plans an aerial view of the Trent River in town with three separate panels and the town’s name.
“It will take three or four days,” he said after climbing down from the ladder and removing his mask. He had a box at the ready with dozens of cans of spray paint of various colours.
The Belleville resident said he has done many murals throughout the city and Prince Edward County and he’s glad to be bringing his artwork here.
Councillors agreed it was great to see a business improving the waterfront views for boaters.
You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.
Bridge closure -
I have lived in the house closest to the Balaclava Street bridge since 1998. It was closed to vehicular traffic in 2000 or so. There was a weight limit sign that someone happened to knock over. Trucks carrying aggregate to build the car park at Canadian Tire found it convenient to park nearby and cross that bridge to deliver their loads. I think that's why it was broken - excess loading.
After that, each winter when I've been around I have shovelled a path across it to let walkers and bikes and small motorized vehicles use it. That has worked out pretty well.
Like the litter abatement that Art nicely described in a recent article, this is an example of how citizens can help the town work more smoothly, and look better too. Let the TH council take the credit, but there's a lot of unpaid work that goes on behind the scenes!
I plan to sell the lovely old house soon, but will still live nearby, at least for a little while. A pedestrian footbridge is a good idea. For reasons both practical and attitudinal, small-town North America loves its motorized vehicles, but I think a footbridge would be an asset to those of us who get around as much as possible on foot or by bike, for exercise, outdoor enjoyment, and other reasons. That bridge is within 200 metres of the Trans-Canada Trail, where it heads west from the old rail yard to Hastings and beyond!
Graham Wilson