Public meeting for new Angus plaza May 7

By Brad Pritchard Alliston Herald 

ANGUS – A public meeting next month will allow residents to comment on a zoning matter that if passed will put a Barrie developer one step closer to building a new commercial plaza along Mill Street in Angus.

The matter deals with a zoning bylaw amendment involving two pieces of land located just east of the No Frills plaza owned by former Essa Mayor David Guergis at 325 Mill St. and his wife Leesa Turnbull at 305 Mill St.

In January, a boundary adjustment request for the properties was approved, subject to a series of conditions.

One of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority’s (NVCA) conditions was that the residential property at 325 Mill St. must be rezoned as Environmental Protection Zone, which prohibits future development.

Before the property can be rezoned, a public meeting must be held to discuss the matter, in accordance with the planning act.

The meeting will take place May 7 at council chambers at 5786 County Road 21 in Utopia.

Township manager of planning Colleen Healey said the purpose of the boundary adjustment for the properties was to reduce the lot size of 305 Mill St. to the area permitted for development by the NVCA. The remaining lands would then be merged with the residential lot located to the east at 325 Mill St.

While 305 Mill St. is zoned commercial, it lies within the protected floodplain of the Nottawasaga River where it is subject to special policy that allows limited forms of development.

The property had been under a previous development limitation of 2.9 acres, but the restriction was lifted to 5.3 acres in October after developer Georgian International Land Corporation’s justification report was accepted by the NVCA.

Angus retail plaza approved

By Brad Pritchard Alliston Herald Oct 31, 2013

ANGUS – The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) has agreed to a developer’s request to build a larger commercial development along Mill Street in Angus.

At a board hearing last week, the NVCA board supported a staff recommendation regarding Georgian International Land Corporation’s application to build a new retail plaza at 305 Mill St. in Angus, across from No Frills.

To move forward with the development, the Barrie developer will have to meet a list of conditions to address flood-proofing concerns and provide proper storm water management.

The development will be 5.3 acres and include seven buildings and a parking lot.

Prior to the hearing, the NVCA had a development restriction on the property of 2.9 acres due to flooding concerns.

In an email reply, Georgian International vice president Dave Bunston said he and his team were happy with the outcome.

“From the outset, Georgian International believed that we could arrive at a fair and reasonable solution for development of the site that would meet the guidelines established by the NVCA,” he said.

Bunston said work is moving ahead to finalize the plan and submit a formal application with the township.

Georgian brought its application before the NVCA board to make the case for a larger development. At the hearing, it convinced the board to use earlier flood elevation mapping data taken in 2005 as the base for how much of the property could be developed.

The 2.9-acre restriction was based on surveys taken in 2008/2009 after the site was cleared of trees and shrubs, which caused the property elevation to drop.

The site is zoned commercial and lies within the floodplain of the Nottawasaga River. As such, it is subject to a special policy that places restrictions on development.

Bunston said they will do what is needed to separate and define the flood areas to ensure the buildings will be protected.

Previously, Canadian Tire had been interested in bringing a new retail location to the property, but backed away because of the development restrictions.

While Georgian International is developing the property, the land is owned by Leesa Turnbull, the wife of former Essa mayor David Guergis.

Potential tenants for the new plaza include Staples, Royal Bank of Canada, Sleep Country, Bulk Barn, The Source, Quiznos, Swiss Chalet/Harveys, along with some local businesses.

Developer seeking support for Angus plaza

By Brad Pritchard Alliston Herald  Sept. 20, 2013

ANGUS – The developer looking to build a new commercial centre on Mill Street in Angus is expected to plead its case to the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) next month.

The developer is eying the piece of land next to No Frills in Angus for the centre, but the proposed development is bigger than what the NVCA allows under its flood protection regulations.

Gary Bell of Skelton, Brumwell and Associates, the planning firm working on behalf of Georgian International Land Corporation, made a presentation Essa council this week to ask for council’s support to develop the property located at Mill Street and Turnbull Road.

Bell said the plan is to develop 5.6 acres at the site and create seven buildings, which works out to 42,000 square feet of business and commercial development. There would also be a gas station on the southwest corner of the property where it meets the north side of Highway 90.

Previously, Canadian Tire had been interested in bringing a new retail location to the property, but backed away after the NVCA ruled only 2.9 acres would be safe for development because of flood risks.

Bell said the information from that ruling was based on a survey completed around 2008/2009 after the site was cleared of trees and leveled, which dropped the ground elevation to a certain extent.

“(The property) is an interim condition,” he said. “It’s ready for development at a lower elevation. Some of it will come up to be flood proofed in accordance with your site plan approval and NVCA guidelines, and the project can proceed.”

Bell said having written support from council would be crucial heading into the hearing with the NVCA to appeal the development restrictions.

Due to the technical details of the proposal, council was unable to provide a resolution. However, they noted their support for more commercial development assuming it conforms to all planning regulations.

“We can’t say enough that we do want development….I hope the process you go through is successful to have this commercial centre,” said Deputy Mayor Sandie Macdonald.

While Georgian International is developing the property, the land is still owned by Leesa Turnbull, the wife of former Essa mayor David Guergis.

The developer has yet to submit an application to the municipality, but there have been preliminary talks with the township and the NVCA.

Essa CAO Greg Murphy said it will be up to the NVCA to determine how much of the property can be developed safely.

“We have to make sure the development is safe and doesn’t impact other areas of the township,” Murhpy said. “If there is a major flood, which we are seeing more and more these days….we have to ensure we are doing our due diligence and make sure we’re not creating liabilities for the taxpayers and putting additional costs on them.”

For the proposal, the planner has suggested a boundary adjustment of the property, which would separate a block for commercial development in the flood fringe, and the outer edges of the property to the north and east as a floodway.

Bell said they currently have a 70 per cent leasing commitment, including new national tenants and existing local businesses.

The potential tenants include Staples, Royal Bank of Canada, Sleep Country, Bulk Barn, The Source, Quiznos and Swiss Chalet/Harveys.