Traffic, wildlife top list of concerns about south-end housing plan
The fate of a proposed, controversial south-Barrie residential development is winding its way through city hall and the Ontario Municipal Board.
Baywood Homes wants to build as many as 1,900 residential units on almost 100 acres of land along Mapleview Drive, on the east side of the GO train tracks — a mix of high-rise, mid-rise, town homes and stacked town homes.
Because city council has not yet made a decision on Baywood’s proposal, the developer has appealed to the OMB.
The second pre-hearing conference is scheduled for Oct. 11.
Coun. Alex Nuttall, who represents this part of Barrie, says he’s not impressed with Baywood’s tactics, given that the developer’s original plan was for 2,100 units.
“They filed with the OMB on the old one, so that they could apply pressure on the new proposal,” he said. “I think that it creates even more animosity around a project that’s obviously stirred up pretty deep feeling in the community.”
Nuttall said councillors are waiting for city planners to come back with a staff report that recommends, one way or the other, whether Baywood’s plan should proceed.
Then councillors can debate the matter.
He expects that report in the next month or so.
Bill Church, who lives on Birkhall Place, north of the site, says most area residents think this project is too large.
He compares Baywood’s plans to Geranium’s approved development at the east end of Big Bay Point Road in Innisfil, with 1,600 resort condo units and 400 hotel rooms on about 560 acres.
“To do the same thing on 100 acres, it seems to me that something’s wrong,” Church said.
Area residents have also expressed concerns about traffic created by the project’s density on an already busy Mapleview Drive. And there have been concerns about wildlife on the property, as people have seen foxes, deer, rabbits and many birds there — including Canada geese and blue herons since 2001.
Baywood officials have said their plan follows provincial guidelines for more intensified residential development and it’s close to public transit, specifically to GO trains which head south on weekdays and take commuters off Highway 400.
But Church says there’s poor access from 700 and 725 Mapleview Dr. to the Barrie South GO Train Station.
“The whole basis of the developer’s application is that government policy is you’re supposed to ... develop more intensely around GO stations,” he said. “I think the presumption is you can get to the GO station, and in that particular case, they (Baywood) don’t own all the land all the way to the GO station.”
Church is also concerned this area doesn’t have the needed city infrastructure — roads, storm and sanitary sewers, etc. — for the development.
“You can fight it on the basis that it’s simply premature. You don’t have any money to do some of this stuff,” he said.
Church says he’s also concerned with the precedent this development would set, if it’s approved.
He points at Pratt Development’s plans in another part of Barrie.
“What troubles me, and it’s happening on Ferndale (Drive), south of Tiffin (Street), is that they nibble away,” he said.
“They don’t start out with much, but they keep pushing it a little bit and pretty soon you’re looking at it.
“They nibble away until there isn’t anything left.”
Pratt wants to build about 270 low- and medium-density housing units on two separate sites on its 76.4 acres at 40 Ferndale Dr. S. Bear Creek Wetlands occupy 71% of this land, which are not proposed for development, but would be dedicated to the city if the plan is approved.
As for Baywood Homes, Nuttall says it’s been quiet lately in terms of residents’ feedback.
“I don’t receive much any more on it, but as soon as it ramps up, then I’m sure I will,” he said.
City council initially approved a draft plan of subdivision for this land in January 2006, and granted an extension three years later — but told the developer its plans didn’t conform with intensification standards.
Early in 2011, Barrie councillors denied Baywood a one-year extension of its draft plan approval status for this property.
Credit: Barrie Examiner - Bob Bruton
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