Part 1: Wellington housing, rural severances, and two late deferrals at Shire Hall – 03/20/2024
- PECConnect
- Mar 20, 2024
- 4 min read
The County’s Planning and Development Committee met on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, as a hybrid meeting at Shire Hall in Picton, with public participation both in person and online. The meeting was convened to consider a mix of urban zoning amendments, rural severance applications, and procedural deferrals that shape how growth unfolds across the County.
The meeting was chaired by Councillor Kate MacNaughton who presided over discussion, votes, and public delegations. Mayor Steve Ferguson and councillors from multiple wards were present, along with County planning staff and the Deputy Clerk.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
Sterling Homes in Wellington
The first major planning item involved a zoning by-law amendment application from Sterling Homes for lands at 380 Wellington Main Street. The proposal triggered extended discussion about townhouse density, site layout, and how new housing fits within an established residential area.
Agent Jim Levac, representing the applicant, addressed the committee and outlined the proposal, while councillors asked questions about rear-lane access, building height, parking, and the relationship between the development and nearby homes along Aletha Drive. Planning staff confirmed that many design elements would still be addressed through the site plan approval process, which would follow zoning.
Public speakers raised concerns about privacy, noise, and the lack of a meaningful buffer between existing homes and the proposed development. Several residents questioned whether the higher-density portions could be shifted or redesigned to reduce impact, and asked council to push for stronger protections during later approvals.
A proposed amendment requesting staff direction on specific design changes did not carry. The committee then approved the zoning by-law amendment, allowing the project to move forward to the next stage of review.
Lake Avenue Lane: technical consent deferred by request
After a short recess, the committee turned to a technical consent application at 37 Lake Avenue Lane. Emily Overholt, Intermediate Planner, advised that the applicant had formally requested a deferral, citing an updated design and plans to conduct additional consultation with neighbouring cottagers.
The Deputy Clerk confirmed the procedural authority for the deferral under the County’s procedural by-law. Council approved the referral to staff, delaying the statutory public meeting until the revised proposal is ready to return.
County Road 2 severances: landfill buffer and policy tension
The most extensive discussion of the night involved consent and rezoning applications for lands along County Road 2 in Ameliasburgh, near Mountain View Airport.
Agent Keith Watson, surveyor Jennifer Matthews, and builder Brock Sills presented in support of the applications, outlining the history of the file, the completion of a hydrogeological study, and a D4 Environmental Assessment. They emphasized that the applications predated changes to the Official Plan and argued that similar severances had been approved elsewhere in the County.
Committee members focused their questions on landfill buffer policies, the operating status of the landfill, and whether long-term risks to groundwater and wells had been adequately assessed. Staff explained that studies had been reviewed, but also acknowledged the policy tension around strip development, a term discussed at length during the meeting.
A motion to deny the applications was brought forward and defeated. An alternative motion proposing approval under staff options did not proceed without a seconder. The committee ultimately supported a reduced development approach, directing that only one severed lot and one retained lot per existing parcel be supported, with staff to work with the proponent on final details for future Council consideration.
Late in the meeting, the committee deferred two additional planning items because staff reports were not ready, despite public notice already having been issued.
The deferred items included applications west of 3263 County Road 3 and a rezoning application at 3038 County Road 3. Both will return once reports are finalized and statutory notice can be reissued.
Key Takeaways
Wellington continues to absorb growth pressure, with council approving zoning changes while relying on later site plan controls to address neighbourhood concerns.
Rural severance decisions remain tightly bound to policy interpretation, especially around landfill buffers and how strip development is defined and applied.
Planning timelines are fluid, and even publicly noticed items can be deferred when reports or design details are not ready.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 8:00:44. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
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