Barrie Residents attack south-end plan

Barrie Examiner

South-Barrie residents voiced their disapproval Monday to townhouses and eight-plexes in their single-family neighbourhood.

During a public meeting that took nearly two hours, about 30 people spoke against the proposed development at 461 Mapleton Ave.

The 101 residential units would add traffic and crime, cut safety for children and hurt property values in the area - city councillors heard.

"We need to put the safety of our children first, absolutely first," said Marlene Kane. "I'm all for growth, but let's grow safe and let's grow smart."

Her daughter, Nicole Kane, said she's a former St. Joan of Arc student and the traffic in this area is already bad.

"I can attest to how difficult it is to cross Mapleton," she said. "It isn't just (unsafe) for children, but for teenagers crossing the street."

Larry Black, who lives at the top of Mapleton, also said the street is dangerous now.

"Cars come up that hill very fast," he said. "That hill is already a risky one and you (the developer) are just going to add to it."

Many speakers said they moved to this area because it is a single-family neighbourhood, and don't want townhouses there because it could mean renters and absent landlords.

"Reconsider this plan and develop it into something that everyone in the area would find desirable," said Jennifer and Alastair McMurachy in a letter to the city, "such as additional single-detached homes, a library, commercial space or an additional soccer/rugby field.

"The building of eight-plexes is not what the safe and quiet area needs right now."

Residents also said there wouldn't be enough parking in this development and that congestion would only get worse in the area.

This five-acre property - located on the south side of Ardagh Road, west of Mapleton - is a former school site no longer needed by the Simcoe County District School Board for that use. The developer is a numbered Ontario company.

Its rezoning and Official Plan application will now be considered by the city's planning department, which will prepare a staff report. It's expected to be dealt with by Barrie councillors later this winter or in early spring.

Coun. Michael Prowse, who represents this part of Barrie, does not want the property to be medium or high-density residential.

But Coun. Alex Nuttall said townhouses do not necessarily mean more crime and renters who are bad neighbours, as some of the speakers Monday expressed.

"Be careful with your broad strokes about townhouses," he said.

City councils in Barrie have long dealt with the frustration of residents in new developments with planned school sites. They expect their children to be able to walk to school, then an education board decides the school is not needed.

The children are bussed to class instead, and more residential units are built on the former school site – adding additional people and vehicles to the area, especially if it's intensified development.

City staff didn't recommended park use of this land. Its estimated purchase price of $1.5-$2 million would have virtually emptied the parkland reserve fund of $2.1 million at the time. A sports fields, landscaping, parking and other infrastructure costs could add another $1 million to the price tag.

Staff looking at building soccer and/or baseball fields there note soccer participants has dropped by 800 since 2010, and the city doesn't need any new ball fields until after 2019.

$56 Million Dollars worth in upgrades - County Road 90

More than $56M in upgrades in the works for County Road 90 expected to take six years 

One of the busiest roads in the county is up for a facelift.

 As part of the Simcoe County Transportation Master Plan, County Road 90 between Barrie and Angus will be reconstructed over six years. The project begins next year and is expected to be done in 2019.

Average annual daily traffic studies for the road show 19,400 vehicles use it daily from Barrie to George Johnston Road, and 16,500 vehicles travel on it from George Johnston Road to Angus.

Because of growth in the area and the increasing number of users, the busy highway between the two municipalities will be reconfigured to five lanes, including a middle turning lane.

“It’s mainly because of the high volume of traffic that requires us to widen the road,” said Rick Newlove, Simcoe County’s general manager of engineering, planning and environment, adding there have been numerous collisions over the years, including some fatalities. “A lot of people use it as an alternate route to Wasaga Beach and Collingwood area.

“There is lots of access along there. People who are travelling and are in a hurry sometimes do things they shouldn’t,” he added. “This will avoid them having to pass someone who is travelling too slow, and they’ll be able to make a left-hand turn without fear of being rear-ended.”

The road has taken its toll over the years, according to OPP Sgt. Peter Leon.

“Just over 10 years ago, I responded to a two-vehicle crash on that stretch that resulted in five people being killed. A family of four in a car and a driver in a pickup collided head-on,” he said. “Any enhancements to a heavily travelled roadway that make it safer are fully supported by the OPP.”

The preliminary estimated cost at this time for the upgrades is $56.5 million, pending budget approvals. The project includes two major bridges, one over the CP rail line and another over the Nottawasaga River.

“The environmental assessment is complete and the county is purchasing property and looking at moving utilities out of the way, things like hydro, natural gas, (telephone), cable, fibreoptics,” Newlove said.

In January 1998, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation downloaded the road to the county, along with some other roads, including highways 50, 26/27 and 11.

This will coincide with the transit upgrades to Angus. For more on that click here

Courtesy Ian at Barrie Examiner 

Barrie South-End Housing Development - Update August 2012

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