The proposed large-scale development in Sebringville is still awaiting results of an environmental assessment, and the warden says it will be at least another month before the results come back.
“We are looking at the fall for the environmental assessment to come back and tell us whether or not there should be a development, and County Council is just waiting on that,” said Perth County Warden Rhonda Ehgoetz, when asked about why there was a motion from council to defer amendments to the official plan which would have made it easier for the development to be passed.
There have also been reports surrounding the number of amendments that would need to take place to the official plan in order for the development to proceed.
“The official plan we are using is 25 years old, and we are in the process of updating that official plan," Ehgoetz said. "Once that happens there usually wouldn’t be that many amendments.”
The development, proposed by a numbered company, from Mitchell, is slated to include 302 housing units and would include 92 single detached homes, 168 apartment units and 42 townhouses on the west side of Station Street in Sebringville.
“I think that the proposed development is a good thing, not just for Perth South but also for the county as we all benefit when there is development, and all municipalities need to grow,” said Ehgoetz.
The hamlet doesn’t have a grocery store or public transit or some of the urban center amenities but that isn’t a worry for the Warden.
“Stratford is only a couple of miles away, there are grocery stores there, and in different towns like Milverton there isn’t a grocery store or public transit, so I think people need to make a choice where they want to live, and make sure they have proper transportation to get to amenities.”
Another concern for residents in Sebringville is increased traffic, especially down Station Road which will need to be built up and fixed to accommodate the extra proposed traffic. The Ministry of Transportation will not allow the county to put access roads for the proposed development on Highway 8, which is why Station Road will see the brunt of the traffic flow if the development is approved.
“Traffic flow could be a challenge, but in terms of challenges like water, the development plans call for deep wells to be drilled like they do in Stratford,” said Ehgoetz. "I’m hearing from people that already live in the village that they are looking to downsize, so this could be a great opportunity to move into an apartment in the newly proposed development, and still stay in the community.”
Local residents have voiced concerns about where people will be coming from to fill the empty homes potentially created by the development.
“I’m not sure where the people will come from either,” said Ehgoetz. “I just toured a development in Mitchell and the developer had no problem selling the homes they built. I think we are still seeing people from London, Toronto and Kitchener who want to make the move to our area. We are also seeing plenty of immigrants coming into the country that will be looking for homes.”
Some residents have also voiced concerns about losing the charm of the rural community.
“Municipalities need to see development to stay sustainable, so unfortunately that might mean giving up farmland, and if we are doing that we need to look for places that could offer the highest density,” she said. “I think single homes are kind of a thing of the past, and we will be looking at townhomes, and apartments, and if you move into one of those developments, especially an apartment with two or three floors, you will still get to experience the countryside."
