Avery Rd development gets conditional approval

A bid by Cathy and Denis Pepin to rezone their 28-acre property on Avery Road so it can be divided into seven lots was conditionally accepted last night by City Council.

Planning Director Don McConnell had asked councillors to deny the Pepin's request.

McConnell said that rezoning the lot the Pepins want to sever to rural residential from its current rural designation would set a dangerous precedent that could cause our city to sprawl contrary to provincial directives.

But after some discussion on the issue last night, councillors decided to approve the rezoning and refer it back to staff to add any needed conditions to the rezoning.

The Pepins plan to sell five of the seven new lots - ranging in size from two to 12 acres - to their neighbours.

They want to keep two of the lots for their sons, to encourage them to stay in the Sault when they are old enough to have families of their own.

The lot they will keep and the seven lots they would sever off their property will all have frontage on Avery Road and none will require extension of City water and sewer services.

The Pepins first came before City Council two weeks ago but realized then that they had made a mistake in their application.

In their request to rezone, they stated they would be creating a rural subdivision when in fact they would merely be severing off parts of their lot.

They asked for and were granted time to make changes to their request for rezoning.

Staff will be returning the item to City Council for a vote at its next meeting.

At that time there will be conditions attached to the rezoning, but the Pepins say they are not very worried about those conditions.

"Staff in both planning and legal have been very helpful at every step along the way," said Cathy Pepin.

The problem, they say, is time.

The next City Council meeting is May 31.

It will probably take some time after that meeting to be able to meet whatever conditions are placed on the rezoning and to obtain other permits needed to sever and sell the lots, said Denis Pepin.

That would mean the lots couldn't be sold until near the end of summer and that some or all of the planned houses for those lots will not be started until the following spring.

The Pepins are too worried about that, though, because they have strong assurances that at least three of the lots will be sold quickly, even if no construction can start until the following spring.

They also expect that five houses will be built over the next five or so years.

"The view from my front window isn't going to change at all," said Denis Pepin.

The homes will be barely visible and the owners will make few changes to the lots, Denis Pepin said.

The Pepins plan to sell to people who will make good neighbours, people they know.

"I would lose money to have a good neighbour," Denis said. "A good neighbour is worth more than money."