NG having "unprecedented" year in terms of development
Posted Jul 15, 2010 By Ashley Kulp
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Tweet ThisEMC News - North Grenville just keeps on growing and if the newest building permit report is any indication, that trend is expected to continue.
According to Forbes Symon, director of planning and development for the municipality, the growth North Grenville is currently experiencing is something he's never seen. His comments were backed up by the latest building permit report, which he presented to council during its July 5 Committee of the Whole meeting.
The report encompasses the period from Jan. 1 to June 30 and compares this year's figures to last year's. The most staggering being the new housing starts, which have nearly doubled from last year at this time. In June 2009 there were 40 new housing starts, while the municipality currently sits at 72 this year. Sixteen of those began just last month.
"These are significant numbers...a month ago we were showing fairly robust new home starts and it was looking like we would have a record year and that trend has continued," Symon remarked, adding that the numbers reflect an 80 per cent jump over last year. "We've got our seatbelts strapped!"
The report also shows a large jump in the total number of permits issued over last year. As of June 30, 189 permits were granted, with 53 issued in June alone. While last June, 137 had been issued.
The value of construction over the June period from this year ($19,791,129) and last year ($30,452,248) has dropped, but Symon noted that the 2009 figure includes the $2.2 million permit for the new Kemptville Fire Hall, $1.7 million for the Kemptville District Hospital redevelopment, and $568,000 for the expansion at Eastern Breeders Inc.
"Things are proceeding quite well and it's really been an unprecedented year," he commented. "The new home starts aren't the only thing that's up, there's also major commercial and institutional development as well as a whole host of smaller activities such as people putting in pools, decks and home renovations. So, things are going nicely."
COLONNADE CONSTRUCTION HEATS UP
As part of his report to Committee of the Whole, Symon also gave council some insight into how work is progressing at the Colonnade Development site on County Road 43. He noted that Canadian Tire is set to begin construction on the site later this summer and planning staff are currently reviewing a number of other site applications.
"The site plans we're reviewing include Tim Hortons, A&W, Toronto Dominion Bank and other buildings yet to be determined," he explained.
One of the issues staff are currently dealing with he said, is the "juggling of the original lot lines of the blocks."
"The location where Canadian Tire is going was originally proposed for Home Depot who backed out early on. But because of changes in circumstances, we need to adjust the lot lines and consider different easement conditions," he stated.
In order to properly address the situation, the municipality's development review team has looked at the problem with a "tremendous amount of detail with Colonnade and Canadian Tire," Symon said, adding that they believe they've come up with a solution that will work for all parties involved.
Part of the solution is that the Canadian Tire will switch sides and be located on the opposite side of Ryan's Well Way. "And there is still a large lot on the other side (of Ryan's Well Way) for a home improvement type facility," Symon concluded.
Staples, the first store to begin construction in the Colonnade Development, officially opened its doors on July 10 (see related story in this week's EMC) and work on Walmart continues to gather steam.
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