Made In Welland: News Section September 21, 2020

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September 21, 2020

Housing boom ahead for Dain City; three subdivisions up for draft plan approval last week

Eight model homes for a development at 401 Canal Bank St. in Dain City will be built on the site of the former John Deere property, 555 Canal Bank St. DAVE JOHNSON / TORSTAR

By Dave Johnon
Courtesy of The Welland Tribune

Dain City could see nearly 1,500 new homes off Forks Road and Kingsway if Welland city council approves draft plans for new subdivisions.

Last Tuesday, four statutory public meetings were held for projects in the city’s south end.

The biggest of the proposed subdivisions could see 1,405 news homes between the Welland Canal and a rail line that borders the east side of the former John Deere property.

Amanda Kosloski, manager of land development at Armstrong Planning and Project Management, was before council to ask for revisions to the draft subdivision plan for the area first approved in 2006.

That plan would have allowed between 731 and 982 units on the site, with an address of 401 Canal Bank St., but with proposed setback changes for front and side years, building heights, lot coverage and more, the number of homes would increase to 1,405.

Kosloski said changes to the subdivision, to be built by Empire Communities, also include a realignment of the internal road system to make it easier for residents to get around and out to Forks Road.

The rail line between the property and the former John Deere lands, also owned by Empire and to be developed as well, would act as a buffer between developments.

Three parks, including one overlooking the Welland Canal, are included in the plans and Kosloski said the subdivision is to be developed in the three phases, from south to north.

As the lands are cleared, the soil, leftover from the construction of the canal, will be stored on the John Deere lands and moved internally over a temporary rail crossing to avoid Forks Road.

Grant Munday, Welland’s manager of development approvals, said issues raised by city councillors, such as infrastructure and road capacity will be addressed in future staff reports on the proposal.

The second subdivision before council was by Fusion Homes for 13 single-detached homes at the end of Glenwood Parkway.

Fusion Homes’ Charlotte Balluch said it would be the second phase of development the company proposed in the Dain City area.

It sold off lots for its nearby first phase to another developer and has a third phase, which could see between 150 to 200 units, that it will bring forward in the future. That third phase would see homes come off Kingsway.

“It fits in well with the existing homes and is a condominium block rather than freehold homes,” she said of the proposed 13-home development.

Munday told councillors that concerns raised by area residents and themselves would be dealt with in a future staff report.

The third public meeting was held to deal with a draft plan of subdivision for 31 homes at the end of Regatta Drive at Talbot Avenue.

Upper Canada Consultants’ Matt Kernham said a part of the land would be left for environmental protection purposes.

He said an environmental assessment was undertaken on the land as it was once home to light industrial use and that no issues were identified.

Ward 6 Coun. Jim Larouche asked if any surcharges would be added to the development to help pay for a new Forks Road Bridge, taken down last year due to structural issues.

Munday said a portion of development charges collected from every development in Dain City would go toward a new bridge.

A fourth public meeting held was to decide whether to allow Empire Communities to build model homes for the 401 Canal Bank St. development.

The homes would be built on the John Deere property and stand for up to three years.

Council approved the construction of the model homes.

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