By Pauline Kerr
A draft plan of subdivision was received for information during the Aug. 9 council meeting.
The Lindston Group (Keith Battler) is proposing a residential subdivision on a 2.14-hectare piece of land southwest of Golf Links Road and Queen St. The proposal includes 10 detached dwellings, four semi-detached lots, 19 townhouse lots and an internal road.
Staff will be returning to council with a recommendation that will address public comments received about the proposal.
Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority has requested additional information regarding stormwater management on the property. Earlier in the year, trees were cleared from the property, resulting in some strongly worded public concerns about the developer clear-cutting the land.
A group of people called Kincardinites Concerned for the Trees has been informed about the matter.
There were also public concerns addressing a request for a minor variance to reduce the side yard requirement and minimum lot frontage on one lot that still has trees on it.
Other concerns focus on poor drainage, trail access, removal of green space and woodland preservation.
There was a discussion that followed that didn’t directly concern this development, but all recent developments in Kincardine.
The issue of affordability was raised by Coun. Dorne Fitzsimmons – primarily, how a municipality could get developers to build affordable housing.
County planner Daniel Kingsbury told council there are quite a few tools available to a municipality. He noted developers say it’s difficult to build affordable housing without a subsidy, and the development that had been discussed at the meeting was not subsidized. The spokesman for the development said that if council wants affordable housing, increasing development and other charges is not the way to go.
Kingsbury encouraged council to find out more about Plan the Bruce – Homes and suggested representation from the county’s planning department come to council as a delegation.
The suggestion was welcomed by Coun. Maureen Couture.
Deputy Mayor Randy Roppel said council and developers should work together on what affordable housing means. He concluded by saying, “We either put a price tag on it or we quit talking about it.”
Mayor Gerry Glover ended discussion that didn’t directly involve the proposed subdivision.
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