stratford scales back density proposals in new official plan draft
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the town of stratford recently presented to the public proposed changes to its official plan zoning and development bylaw.
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proposed changes to stratford’s official plan and zoning and development bylaw would scale back some density proposals after residents raised concerns during an earlier round of public feedback.
ian watson, a senior planner and partner with upland planning and design, presented the second draft of the plan during a public meeting in stratford.
watson said the documents are still in draft form and could change before they go to planning committee and council for possible adoption later this summer.
he said the first draft received a lot of really good feedback from residents, including concerns about density, traffic, parking, environmental protection and how new development would fit into existing neighbourhoods.
one of the biggest changes is in the residential zones.
in the proposed low-density residential zone, the town has brought back the 700-square-metre minimum lot size and 22-metre frontage requirement, which are more in line with the current r1 zone.
double dwellings, such as duplexes and semi-detached homes, would no longer be automatically permitted in that zone. instead, they would require a special permit, which means the application would go to council and include a public process.
watson said the town also created a new narrower lot residential zone, called rn, for some undeveloped residential land.
the zone is meant to allow slightly smaller lots for single homes and duplexes, while still keeping the development low density. townhouses could be considered in that zone through a special permit process.
resident concerns
some residents welcomed the changes, while others said they still had concerns.
resident heidi paulin said she appreciated the work done by the town and the changes made after the first draft. but she said she was disappointed the new version reduced some of the density proposed earlier.
stratford resident heidi paulin told council during an official plan public meeting on june 23 that she appreciated the work done by the town and the changes made after the first draft. but she said she was disappointed the new version reduced some of the density proposed earlier.
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“i feel this is a downgrade from the first version,” she said.
paulin said she would like to see more housing options allowed without requiring a special permit, especially for double dwellings.
another resident kerry taylor, who lives on duffy road, thanked council for listening to earlier concerns, but said residents in his area still have questions about the proposed rn zoning on undeveloped land near them.
taylor said he is worried about drainage, traffic access, green space and the impact of higher-density development on the area.
he said residents need more information about where entrances and exits would go before they can feel confident their concerns are being addressed.
stratford resident kerry taylor thanked council for listening to earlier concerns, but said residents in his area still have questions about what the proposed rn zoning on undeveloped land near them would mean for them.
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melanie mccarthy, who lives in the keppoch area, raised concerns about changes to lot sizes in areas that were previously zoned for larger lots.
she said some people moved to that area because they wanted more space and distance from the town core.
mccarthy also asked about accessory dwelling units and whether neighbours could build two-storey backyard units.
watson said accessory buildings and accessory dwellings would be limited to 15 feet, or the height of the main dwelling, whichever is less. he said only one accessory dwelling would be allowed per lot.
the official plan sets out the town’s long-term vision for land use, while the zoning and development bylaw lays out the rules for how that vision is carried out.
watson said the goal is to make the documents clearer, easier to understand and more transparent for residents.
the draft documents are expected to go to planning committee before council considers whether to adopt them.
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vivian ulinwa is a reporter for the guardian in prince edward island. she can be reached at vulinwa@postmedia.com and followed on x @vivian_ulinwa.
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