Page 2

Office of the CAO

November 3, 2009

REPORT A6‐2009

RECOMMENDATIONS:

•

standard conditions applying to any Purchase & Sale Agreement;

•

that the Purchase & Sale Agreement is reviewed by the Township Solicitor; and,

•

Council passes a By-law authorizing the Mayor and Clerk to sign the Agreement.

AND FURTHER THAT Staff report back to the Council of the Township of Woolwich with a full analysis,
preferred development option, and work plan with a target date of Fall 2010.

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

In 2008, Planning Staff presented a report to Council recommending a process for the disposal of
Surplus Lands and Properties to generate funds for the Capital Projects Fund. In recognition of the
complexity of the issues related to the Victoria Glen lands, the Staff Committee recommended that
they be managed separately.

A Public Meeting was held on June 23, 2009 to present Report A3-2009 Review of Victoria Glen
Lands. In this report and presentation, Staff reviewed the status of the subject lands, key issues
identified to date, and five scenarios for residential development to illustrate potential options.

Approximately 100 people attended the June 23, 2009 Public Meeting and an excerpt of the Minutes
from the meeting are attached as Appendix 1 to this report. Immediately prior to and following the
June 23, 2009 Public Meeting, Staff received feedback and input in the form of telephone calls,
petitions, and letters. Based on a review of the correspondence and feedback received at the Public
Meeting, Staff has attempted to summarize the reasons articulated for retaining the subject lands as
they are, as follows:

1. the environmental value of the subject lands (e.g. habitats for birds and animals, water system,

oxygen);

2. the historical value of the subject lands (e.g. people have had many positive experiences in the

area over time);

3.  the educational value of the subject lands;
4.  the aesthetic value of the subject lands;
5.  the spiritual value of the subject lands (i.e. provides a peaceful and quiet place to meditate);

and,

6. the recreational value of the subject lands (e.g. walking, running, bird watching).

Following the Public Meeting, Staff was requested to assess the issues and feedback, and respond to
Council in Fall 2009 with an evaluation and recommendations. To maintain consistency, Staff took the
approach used with all planning applications made to the Township of Woolwich. More specifically, a
Staff Team reviewed and evaluated the issues, feedback, and background information in two ways:

•

evaluation of the applicable policy and the technical merit of the proposal; and,

•

evaluation of the benefits of developing the subject lands versus retaining the subject lands for

passive open space.

The purpose of this report is to present this evaluation, resulting analysis, and recommendations
regarding the viability and appropriateness of proceeding with declaring the subject lands surplus and
developing them for residential purposes to Council for consideration.

C:\DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\BEVERLY\LOCAL SETTINGS\TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES\OLK95\REPORT.DOC