BY KIRK STARRATT

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

A member of Kings County council has given notice she will make a motion of reconsideration after council voted to refer a rezoning request for farmland in Port Williams to the community’s secondary planning strategy (SPS) process.

Councillor Janet Newton, who represents Port Williams, said she gave notice of reconsideration after another councillor expressed regret at the vote that particular individual had cast.

She said the referral motion made by councillor Wayne Atwater in effect cut off debate and many facts that support moving the rezoning motion to public hearing were not stated, including that the subject property is part of the village’s well field; the community’s school and post office are underutilized; and the underutilization of the community’s sewer system (running at about 29 per cent capacity). Newton said she has been told that the sewer works more effectively closer to capacity.

“These are points that the public deserves to speak about,” she said. “Moving the issue to a secondary planning strategy is nothing more than a stalling tactic.”

The proposed rezoning was up for first reading at the May council session. Dykeview and Riverview Farms submitted a Municipal Planning Strategy amendment to rezone and redesignate approximately 194 acres of land from Agricultural (A1) to urban zoning, to be included in the Port Williams Growth Centre.

Proposed development would include 192 lots

There are several properties involved and the proposed development would include approximately 192 lots or 750 residential units. Highway 358, Church Street and Collins Road contain the subject properties.

The planning advisory committee (PAC) recommended first reading of amendments to establish a Residential Comprehensive Development District (RCDD) and RCDD zone for growth centres. As pointed out by planning manager Chrystal Fuller, this zone could exist whether or not council decides to expand the Port Williams growth centre and is a stand-alone, county-wide amendment.

Council voted in favour of first reading for the RCDD amendment. The other motion was to give first reading to rezoning the subject land from Agricultural to RCDD. The new zone would allow development to occur through a development agreement.

Some councillors expressed the opinion that allowing the rezoning request to proceed with the SPS process getting underway in Port Williams would put the cart before the horse. Newton told her colleagues it could be 2010 before the SPS is completed, based on the amount of time the process took in other communities.

The applicant farms, represented by Greg Coldwell and Earl Kidston, have spent over $40,000 to-date on planners and Newton thinks it’s unrealistic to ask them to wait another two years to have their application dealt with, especially considering that the current Port Williams growth centre is full and needs to expand.

“The village commission has a vision for where we should go,” she said.

However, Atwater moved to refer the rezoning request to the SPS process. The motion carried.

Comments from the public

During the public comment component at the conclusion of the council session, Port Williams resident Robin Whidden, a member of the SPS committee, said any growth has to have lasting economic benefits.

Applicant Greg Coldwell said he was a little disappointed with the way things went, but was told three months ago this was happening, so maybe he shouldn’t be disappointed. He said the community has high nitrate levels and the water commission has asked them not to farm.

“If you have any idea what Earl (Kidston) and I can do with the land, we’d be interested to know,” he told councillors.

Linda Best said, “we’re reaching the point of an economic recession and it’s not a great time to be spending money on development.” She told councillors that should be a consideration and thanked them for looking at sending the matter to the SPS process so the community could have input.