Counties approves official plan amendment to expand urban area in Rockland

Despite opposition from three regional mayors, the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR) approved an amendment to its official plan that will allow the Town of Rockland to expand the limits of its urban area to allow for more development.

The item was set for debate during the regular meeting of UCPR council held on Tuesday, May 25.

The discussion focused on the City of Clarence-Rockland's application to increase the limits of the Town of Rockland. The lands in question are located southeast of the Town of Rockland and the majority are designated within the Rural Policy Area. The municipality is asking that the lands be re-designated to Urban Policy Area.

Clarence-Rockland Mayor Richard Lalonde explained the request follows a recent surge in commercial and residential development that has prompted the need to examine the city's requirement for growth areas.

"In order to ensure an adequate supply of land for future development and meet the projected needs for a time horizon of up to 20 years, the city wishes to increase the limits of the Town of Rockland," the mayor said.

The amendment to the counties official plan is also asking for the re-designation of a tract of land located south of Clarence Point, west of Landry Road (County Road 8) to Community Policy Area to allow for a proposed new residential development on partial services (water only).

The Nation Mayor Denis Pommainville, along with Russell Township Mayor Ken Hill and Champlain Township Mayor Gary Barton, said they could not support the amendment because there wasn't enough information provided in the City of Clarence-Rockland's report, compiled by Stantec.

"I cannot accept an amendment because we don't have all of the answers at this point," Pommainville said. "The report is incomplete and we are missing data. I will not support this until we receive the data and information that is required, by municipal and provincial law."

According to a report prepared by the counties' planning department, the Stantec report only looked at the City of Clarence-Rockland, isolating the Town of Rockland.

"There was no attempt to undertake a regional analysis to determine whether or not the proposed projections would have an impact on the other surrounding municipalities in the context of distributing the projected population growth on a counties scale," the counties report stated. "We requested this analysis via a letter to Stantec on August 21, 2009. No additional information was provided."

The counties asked the firm Watson and Associates (W&A) to conduct a peer review of the growth and land demand calculations and the firm indicated it has concerns with Stantec's population and housing forecast approach.

W&A concluded that the Stantec report does not meet the requirements for an urban boundary expansion.

Pommainville, Barton and Hill said they support commercial and residential development, but expect proper procedures to be followed before any amendment is approved.

Lalonde said while there is some information missing from the report, "it isn't information that would permit the refusal of a modification to the official plan."

He said the amendment is "urgent and critical" because the City of Clarence-Rockland will be reviewing its strategic plan over the course of the next few months.

The amendment received approval from the other five mayors seated at the counties' council table.