Oxford Homes drops OMB appeal, council approves Mount Albert development

Yorkregion.com
May 7, 2015

Two weeks after it appeared the Oxford Homes Mount Albert development was heading to the Ontario Municipal Board, the proposal was back before council in public session.

Oxford Homes officially rescinded its OMB appeal April 23, allowing council to vote on the proposal put forth by staff about the development located on 97 acres of land on the south side of Mount Albert Road, between Ninth Line and Centre Street.

Council passed the plan of subdivision, in principal, which includes 174 residential units as a first phase of development, a park block, an open block and a block for possible future residential development. It was not a unanimous decision. Councillors Marlene Johnston and James Young did not support the motion.

Young was concerned that not all residents were aware of the proposal and didn’t have sufficient time to comment on the process.

“I thought it was only fair that we do our due diligence,” he said.

Johnston voiced her concern that Oxford was putting in underground servicing for 235 units when the subdivision was only approved for 174 units.

Other members of council disagreed.

“That is their own risk,” Councillor Tara Roy-DiClemente said.

While residents have continuously raised concerns about traffic and water pressure, Mayor Virginia Hackson thought it was best to go ahead with the 174-unit development with the caveat that the town continue to work with the developer and the region to make sure water pressure and traffic don’t become an issue.

Town staff told council water pressure in the Mount Albert wouldn’t be negatively affected by the development.

Oxford Homes filed an appeal to the OMB April 10 citing council’s neglect to make a decision on the application within the timelines outlined in the Planning Act.

The move came as a surprise to town staff and council, as the town had delayed a decision on the plan of subdivision at the April 7 meeting to give further notice to Mount Albert residents that the development was on the agenda.

At the April 7 meeting, a staff report recommended council approve a 235-unit development on the western portion of the site.

The Mount Albert sewage treatment plant will provide servicing for the development, but town staff said the region is investigating if expansion of the wastewater plant is possible.

As it stands now, there are only about 250 units of capacity available within the plant. Council has committed 65 units of allocation elsewhere in Mount Albert, leaving about 185 units for the Oxford Homes development.

The proposed 235-unit development represents less than half of the 604 units originally proposed.

Mount Albert resident David Wahl, who had been critical of the original development that was presented at a public meeting two years ago, said moving forward with the new proposal from Oxford Homes was the best way to go. He was worried if council voted against the plan of subdivision the fate of the development would be passed to the OMB.

“I think we would be negatively impacted as result of this process,” he said.

According to a staff report, Oxford Homes has agreed to move the application forward, only seeking draft approval for the western half of the plan, which assisted in resolving the servicing capacity issue.

For the remaining lands, the town said Oxford Homes would be required, at minimum, to complete grading, place topsoil and seed the lands to ensure the area is stabilized. It will also be required to maintain the property in a neat and tidy condition.