RIDGETOWN – What was intended to be a good news announcement about a planned housing development here has raised concerns and questions for several local residents.
Media reports in late February announcing plans for a $70-million subdivision development by Apollo Property Management and Clarke Developments to build 131 homes in the area of Warwick and Cecil streets came as a surprise to many residents in the neighbourhood.
A group of residents met a few weeks ago to discuss the issue, and a follow up meeting held Saturday at the Ridgetown Golf and Curling Club attracted more than 50 people. The Ridgetown Neighborhood Association has also been formed in response to this issue.
Ridgetown resident Tim DeActis stressed, “We’re not here against the subdivision, we are just asking that it be done right.”
He added the project came as a surprise so the resident’s group has jumped on it quick to raise questions about their concerns.
Ridgetown resident John MacDonald said it is important to be proactive because residents need to be able to trust the process that involves the planning department, developers and council.
“All we ask is they make an informed decision that is in the best interest of the entire community,” he said.
Mayor Darrin Canniff said typically the public is informed of proposed housing developments only after a plan of subdivision is submitted to the municipality.
He said the intent of announcing the planned project ahead of that was simply to share some good news with Ridgetown residents, and the rest of Chatham-Kent, that the community is growing and attracting new people.
He added the developers are also proud of the planned project and wanted to share it with the community.
Residents have many questions they want answered regarding the existing infrastructure in Ridgetown and whether it can handle an influx of 131 homes. The questions include what impact the development will have on water pressure as well as the capacity of the sanitary sewer and storm water management systems.
Other questions residents want answers to is the impact on roads while heavy vehicles come through the neighborhood during construction of the subdivision and the added traffic once the homes are built.
There are also questions about the size of the lots and homes that will be built and how they will fit in with surrounding homes.
Residents also want answers on potential environmental impacts, citing a bald eagle that inhabits a woodlot near where the homes are planned to be built.
Citing the concerns raised by residents, Canniff said, “I want to assure people that all proper planning requirements will be met before this project proceeds.”
He added it will be no different than the process that is required with every other subdivision project in Chatham-Kent, which includes public input.
Canniff said he has personally spoken on the phone with many concerned Ridgetown residents to explain the process as well as to inform them the announcement was just meant to share some good news with the community.
The mayor noted many questions can only be answered after a formal plan is submitted by the developers.
It was noted during the meeting that the developers plan to host a public information session, but a date is still to be set.
“This is a positive step taken by the developers and we thank them for that,” DeActis said.
The issue was raised that East Kent councilors Steve Pinsonneault and John Wright have not accepted invitations to attend the two meetings. However, it was noted at the beginning of Saturday’s meeting there was some misinformation that resulted by having a lawyer moderate the first meeting, which left the impression the lawyer had been retained by the citizen group.
That is not the case DeActis stated at the beginning of the meeting.
Chatham County. Karen Kirkwood-Whyte was applauded for accepting the invitation to the meeting.
“Communication is key in everything,” she said of why she attended. “It was important for me to be here just to listen to the comments and concerns.”
Kirkwood-Whyte said she is “pleased to hear there is a lot of civic engagement in Ridgetown.”
She said there are people who really care about the community and “they saw something coming and they took action to try to find the answers to their questions.”