A local developer has proposed a scaled-back version of an earlier proposal to make room for a berm where they can stockpile contaminated soil found on the property.
A proposed subdivision called Trails of Collingwood included a plan for 255 residential dwellings (a mix of single and semi-detached units, townhouses, and multi-storey apartment buildings) on a 7.5-hectare property on High Street between Telfer Road and Tenth Street.
However, the property’s former use as an apple orchard has left residual contamination in the soil from pesticide use.
According to the town’s director of public works and engineering, Brian MacDonald, the pesticides will eventually break down naturally, but the concentration is too high for residential use right now, so the town won’t allow homes to be built on the land without remediation.
The project has been delayed since 2013 while the developer worked on a plan for approaching the contaminated soil. The subdivision achieved draft plan approval first in 2008, and that approval has been extended several times since then, most recently in 2018.
Currently, the developer is proposing a soil containment block in place of some of the townhouses – effectively a berm – where contaminated soil can be put and secured off residential properties. The berm could be used as an open space recreation zone provided the town agrees to the containment plan and rezoning. It would reduce the proposed townhouses from 78 to 46. The development would still include 111 apartments in two four-storey units, 34 single units, and 32 semi-detached homes.
There is another example of such a containment berm in Collingwood on the waterfront along the west side of North Maple Street behind the amphitheatre. That berm contains contaminated soil from the former Collingwood Shipyards, and currently is in use as recreation space with town trails and vegetation covering it.
The Trails of Collingwood developer applied to use the berm approach in 2017, and it is currently being reviewed by a consultant for the town. There was a public meeting on the application in 2017.
A staff report headed to council on Monday, Sept. 30, suggests once staff have a report from the peer reviewer, they can bring forward a planning report to council on how to proceed.
The issue is being raised now because the draft plan approval already granted to Trails of Collingwood is set to expire soon (Oct. 20), they are asking for another year extension while they wait for word on whether their soil containment berm will be approved. There is currently a hold provision on the property requiring the contaminated soil issue is addressed through an approved application or by removing the soil from the site before development can occur.
The development and operations standing committee supported the developer’s application for an extension on the site plan approval. Council will be asked to vote on the same matter on Sept. 30.
