Some Mount Forest residents are uneasy over a proposed zoning change that would pave the way for a 32-unit apartment building in a residential neighbourhood.
The Township of Wellington North is holding a public meeting Monday to learn more about a proposed two-storey apartment building and will subsequently consider the requested zoning changes at the regular council meeting.
According to a report to council, Archcon Group Inc. is proposing to build on a vacant lot located at 773 Princess St. in Mount Forest.
The developer is proposing a 32-unit building with a mix of one and two bedroom rentals. The zoning change of an R3 from the current R2 zoning would permit an apartment building.
While the planning report shows County of Wellington staff have no concerns with the application as it is consistent with applicable policy, nearby neighbours don’t share the same view.
Ten pieces of correspondence are included in the report from neighbours, mainly those who live on Princess Street and Jeremy’s Crescent, largely touch on shared concerns about increased traffic, decreased safety and overall not fitting in with the character of the existing neighbourhood.
“As this building will only have one road both entering and exiting onto Princess Street, I can foresee a traffic problem as this street is already a heavy traffic area leading to several subdivisions, the Mount Forest Sportsplex, baseball and soccer fields, along with access to the proposed new swimming pool,” Darlene Wilken states in a letter.
“We have no issue with increased density to provide more rental units, however, we believe that a two story 32-unit apartment building is not suitable for this space,” states a letter from two people named Terry Martin. “This land is surrounded on all sides by single family homes in a well-established neighborhood. The site plan shows the apartment crowded along the fence line of many homes.”
A letter from Cindy Gilbert noted Princess Street does not have sidewalks which she stated feels like a potential issue in the future.
“Princess Street is not wide enough to accommodate parked cars, walkers and a huge traffic increase,” Gilbert wrote. “It’s a recipe for disaster and someone will get hurt.”
Included in the correspondence is a petition with 17 signatures from nearby residents.
Wellington North council will meet virtually for the public meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday and will make a decision on the zoning changes at a meeting afterwards.
