‘This is a blueprint to our future'
Residents have 30 days to checkout Woodstock's municipal plan at town hall and online
How will the community grow? That was the question on the mind of those at Woodstock Town Hall Monday evening.
Six of seven contenders for a council position in the May 12 election – along with the present and future Woodstock mayors and a handful of community residents – were in council chambers Monday, April 14, to get a glimpse at the proposed vision for the town's future development.
"It's important to note this is a blueprint for our future," said Mayor Jeff Wright, following a presentation in which Mark Reid of Terrain Group outlined the town's proposed municipal plan.
Interested observers included current council members Andy Leech, Catherine Sutherland, Peter Kennedy and Jim Cluff, who are seeking re-election in May, and Deputy Mayor Art Slipp, who will take over by acclamation from Mayor Wright. Audience members for the public presentation included council candidates Theresa Blackburn and Geoff Stairs.
The municipal plan, if approved by town council, will outline key bylaws, regulations and zoning requirements which will dictate current and future development within town boundaries. Reid explained Woodstock's plan maintains and strengthens many existing regulations and adds new rules to provide greater control of future growth.
The town already zones property on the basis of residential, commercial, industrial and institutional usage. To provide greater flexibility, Reid explained, the plan creates two new types of zones.
A residential mix (RM) will allow a greater variety of housing choices, including single unit, two-unit, semi-detached, as well as townhouses and multi-unit buildings which are subject to specific terms and conditions.
A new suburban commercial (SC) zone will allow a greater range of property use under specific terms and conditions. Reid cited Woodstock's south side, where light commercial is intermixed with several types of residential buildings, as an area where the SC zoning is at work.
"Suburban commercial tends to build upon residential," Reid explained.
In developing the plan, Reid noted, the consultants talked to community stakeholders, which included an open house in 2006; carried out a background study; reviewed and revised bylaws and made their presentation to a steering committee made up of council and planning advisory committee (PAC) members.
In the end, Reid explained, the municipal plan reflects Woodstock's community vision, which states, "the Town of Woodstock strives to be a safe, family-oriented community, proud of its heritage and acting as the service centre for the Carleton region."
Reid's presentation, like the municipal plan, touched on most aspects of town operation. In areas of transportation, for example, he explained the plan calls for the streets and roads to be designated as local, collector and arterial roads and suggests design criteria based on current standards. It also calls for Deakin Drive to be governed by a "controlled access bylaw," restricting any driveway access. The plan also calls for the development of a multi-use trail system in the community.
In its recommendations surrounding town infrastructure and utilities, the plan calls for several revisions, including an examination to find an additional water source. During the question session following Reid's presentation, Coun. Peter Kennedy asked Reid to clarify the recommendation regarding the town's water supply.
"We don't want people to be concerned," Coun. Kennedy said. "It's not a problem with water quality or lack of water, it's that all the water is in one spot."
Reid agreed, saying from a water-supply perspective, Woodstock has "all its eggs in one basket."
In the area of rural development, Reid explained, the town still has a limited amount of agriculture and park land. He said the plan calls for the town to maintain its rural greenbelt designation to achieve the goal of permitting the continuation of agriculture and passive recreation and resource activities.
"Over time," he added, "some areas will have to be re-designated if the town wants to grow."
Mayor Wright said future growth is a central issue in the municipal plan. Over the past several years, Woodstock officials have attempted to find government support to extend town borders, including a recent attempt to annex parcels of land between Wal-Mart and Jacksonville. Although the property owners and town agreed to the proposed expansion, provincial regulations have so far blocked annexation plans.
"The (municipal) plan heightens the need to expand town boundaries," the mayor said. "In Woodstock, we have few blocks of land to expand on. Government needs to understand this."
Coun. Sutherland asked for clarification of the zoning designations included in the municipal plan.
"If we accept this plan," she asked, "are (properties) automatically rezoned?"
Woodstock chief administrative officer Ken Harding responded saying rezoning is not automatic. Harding urges property owners to examine the plan and land-use map, either by dropping by town hall or checking it out on the Woodstock Web site.
"It's important landowners contact the town regarding their own property," he said.
While the municipal plan outlines a direction moving forward, Mayor Wright said, the document is not entirely based on the future.
"It's nice to know some of the things talked about we're already doing," he said.
Beginning with the public presentation on Monday evening, concerned residents have 30 days to submit written objections. Those objections will be considered at the public hearing, where people can speak for or against those written objections.
The entire plan, as well as a colour-coded land-use map, can be viewed at Woodstock Town Hall or online at the Town of Woodstock Web site.
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