Prince Edward County Council has again voted against a rezoning and draft plan of subdivision to allow a major housing development near Picton.
The Cold Creek subdivision would feature 904 housing units of various kinds built in five phases in the area of Sandy Hook Road and Upper Lake Street.
Tuesday night council again heard from people objecting to the development fearing it would affect the waters of Waring’s Creek, its tributaries and surrounding wetlands.
Council also heard from one of the developers who promised bigger setbacks from wetlands and promised an exact number of affordable homes in phase one.
David Cleave of Port Picton Homes promised 37 affordable residences to be built immediately. They would be priced between $375,000 and $450,000. The affordable units would consist of five tiny homes, six stacked townhouses and 16 back-to-back townhouses.
But in the end council voted 8 to 6 to reject staff’s recommendation to approve the application.
It’s expected the developers will appeal that decision to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Some on council such as councillors St Jean and Hirsch believed the developers would win the appeal because the County’s staff had recommended approval, adding many ratepayers would feel council was wasting time and money by denying the development’s approval.
Voting to accept staff’s recommendation to approve the rezoning and draft plan of subdivision were councillors Roberts, St Jean, Grosso, Hirsch, MacNaughton, and Mayor Ferguson.
Voting against approval were councillors Pennell, Nieman, Prinzen, Harrison, Branderhorst, Engelsdorfer, Braney, and Maynard.
On October 16, the Planning Committee also rejected the approval recommendation on a tie vote of 6 to 6 but the final decision was left to council to make Tuesday (October 22).
