CENTRE WELLINGTON – Centre Wellington Council has approved the recommended settlement area boundary report, allowing the County of Wellington to move forward with developing an amendment to the County’s Official Plan needed to carry out the recommended expansion.
Centre Wellington is expected to grow to a population of 58,200 by 2051 with total employment of 25,100 by 2051.
“The majority of this growth will take place in the Fergus and Elora-Salem Urban Centres (settlement areas). By Provincial policy, Centre Wellington is required to use growth forecasts for long-term planning to ensure the provision of a diverse mix of housing, jobs, and services,” the township said in a news release.
A Land Needs Assessment completed by the County of Wellington determined that the available land within the Fergus and Elora-Salem Urban Centres could not accommodate all future land uses, and therefore a Settlement Area Boundary Expansion of approximately 398 hectares was warranted.
On September 30th, council adopted a staff recommendation to endorse a land need requirement based on a minimum intensification target of 20% and a minimum greenfield density target of 52 people and jobs per hectare.
Based on the targets, the Fergus and Elora-Salem Urban Centres would need to be expanded by 132 hectares to meet community land use needs such as housing, commercial, office, and institutional uses and a further 194 hectares to support industrial employment.
“Based on council’s desire to limit the expansion of the settlement area boundaries into prime agricultural areas, these targets reduced the community land need from 204 hectares,” the township said.
During a recent meeting, council adopted the recommended settlement area boundary expansions proposed by township staff of 326 hectares of land to meet future community and employment needs.
Mayor Shawn Watters said during the meeting they have to start somewhere.
Watters says the township also must acknowledge the growth and appeal of the community.
The township says all areas for the recommended settlement area boundary expansion are adjacent to the existing urban centre and in many instances, municipal sewer and/or water services are already available in the road allowances next to these expansion areas, or they will be accessible once other land within the urban boundary is developed.
For more information visit www.connectcw.ca.
