Midland Planning and Development
Phil introduced Bryan MacKell, Town Planner and Economic Development Officer. Bryan started in Nepean and moved to Midland 28 years ago. He took a break for 5 years to run a private planning company, providing urban and redevelopment services, before returning to Midland. He's been instrumental in the King St. redevelopment, the work on the Dock area, the trails and the Planning and Zoning regulations.
Bryan said the area is growing with a focus on residential development. He took us on a tour around the town. The Aberdeen St. houses are to be augmented by two towers of condos this year and more single family construction. Mundy's Harbour will be completed this year with a final 12 units. From there to King St. is green space that is vested in the Town but over on the west side the work there is starting again after some financial details were worked out with occupancy expected in August. Past Bayport there's 60 acres being developed by the Remington group with 550 dwellings, some on the water, some as town houses and then 3 apartments. The Fuller Drummond property, which has been owned since the 80s by Europeans, will have 79 homes. The trees there are second growth since the smelter closed and over 40% of that cover will be retained.
The Sunnyside and Harbourview intersection will be realigned and signalled and in a couple of years the curve onto Fuller will be made more gradual.
There will be infill houses on Young St. near Cornell and there are 100 single lots available near Woodland Dr. The Town is also expecting some submissions regarding the 40 acres between St. T's and TRW but 8 acres has already be dedicated to parks and 3 soccer pitches. From King St to the Old Penetang Rd. behind the WalMart there's room for 1,000 dwellings but, again, 86 acres has been reserved for wetland and storm water management.
In Penetang condos are being built on Fox St. and some lots will be available on the west side of Main. In Tiny satellite developments are in the works near Lafontaine and Wyevale and, of course, cottage conversions go on year round. Tay is expecting a big spurt with the development in Port McNicoll to start this year and almost 100 infill waterfront houses in Victoria Harbour.
Not all of these will be starter homes - many will be for empty nesters and retirees - which means less pressure on the school system, though work is being done on several schools now.
Bryan doesn't expect a lot of industrial development, saying the work will be more aimed at keeping what we have. Commercial development goes in cycles, he says, and we had one around 2000 with WalMart and other big box stores. The market area is holding at about 50,000 within 15 miles so it will take another increase in population to see much more commercial and the economy will have an effect as well.
Bruce asked if the sanitation system could handle the growth. The 8 million spent in 1992 on the treatment plant was well spent. It can take another 3,000 units and there are 2,800 proposed over the next 15 years. There's room for one expansion to the plant as well.
Fred Hacker asked about the condition of the infrastructure and Bryan said it was fairly strong. Roads are being redone on a 25 year cycle while the Works Department would probably prefer 20. Some of the piping is problematic but it is being serviced as possible.
Larry asked about regulation from outside the community. Midland is at the tip of the Golden Horseshoe and is part of the Moraine so there are others dictating growth. Midland has been alloted 1,575 units over 15 years and there are proposals for 2,800 so there will be discussions this summer.
Jamie Hunter asked if the Town worked with the Georgian Bay Association but Bryan thought that contact would be through Keith Sherman at Severn Sound.
Rod asked about co-operation between the municipalities. This is tough. Bryan thinks there's writing on the wall. Economics and growth policies may force the issue within 15 - 20 years and there are pros and cons but in the end it will be politics.
Jamie asked about water towers. Two reservoirs are being built; one on Sunnyside and one on the Rogers property on Balm Beach Rd. Both will rely on natural elevation to provide pressure, not tower height.
Rod asked about Bryan's role as Industrial Development Commissioner and Bryan said it was something he'd always been involved in - working with site selectors and compiling information packages. Orillia, Wasaga, Collingwood, Nottawassaga and Barrie would be joining us in joint trade show presentations and his work on the BIA has him in contact with the other local municipalities.
Bruce Thompson offered the Club's thanks to Bryan for his presentation. He said that as a recent arrival he's impressed by the vitality of the downtown and the green space along the water.