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 Town sticks with County growth forecast, Belterra factored inPosted May 13, 2008New Tecumseth will abandon for now its preferred local planning horizon that aimed for a population of 60,000 by 2031 choosing instead to endorse Simcoe County's growth management target of 49,000 with the option to revise that number when it's reviewed in five years. The growth management study process has been underway for the past couple of years at the upper tier, which is using its recommendations to frame an updated Official Plan, a policy paper that all lower tier municipalities will have to abide by. And the County has the Ontario government on its side. And while the initial 49,000 is in line with the 50,000 New Tecumseth first sought, Belterra's proposed 1,900 unit subdivision adjacent to GreenBriar at 10 Sideroad and Hwy 89, will partially at least, be included in the calculation. Belterra has an official plan amendment from New Tecumseth, though no sewage allocation. But for more than five years, the Biffis family's development company, CableBridge has had its application stalled at the County pending the results of this growth management study. "Both the Provincial Places To Grow Plan and the Simcoe County Growth Management Strategy will be reassessed in accordance with their mandated five year review and the Town can request that the 60,000 population for 2031 per the Town GMS be recognized in association with the five year reviews of the above noted documents," according to the motion passed by council last night. "Whereas Town population growth is not expected to surpass 49,000 people for over a decade and no additional population remains to be allocated to lower tier municipalities through the Simcoe County Growth Management Strategy at this time, Town draft plans of Subdivision and the substantial amount of undeveloped industrial lands can be planned to attain the Greenfield intensification target of 50,000 persons and jobs per hectare." However, the Town is balking at the intensification targets of 40 per cent more infill for urban areas as "not supportable given that they will adversely affect the character of established neighbourhoods in the Town and therefore reduced targets should be established in accordance with supportive documentation." Mayor Mike MacEachern said last night that the County's Corporate Services committee will be debating the draft growth management study this week, and then a recommendation will be tabled for County council adoption on May 27. |
 
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