Rushed rezoning for 35,000 housing units put on hold after town fails to meet concerns in Caledon
Published May 6, 2024 at 1:52 pm
Plans to fast-track the rezoning for a dozen developments expected to bring 35,000 housing units to Caledon have been put on hold after the mayor says the town “failed to address” concerns from residents.
Back in March, the town announced plans for Caledon Mayor Annette Groves to push through the rezoning for 12 development applications.
But at a public meeting last week, the mayor said residents raised “sincere questions and concerns” related to the projects that the town “put simply, failed to address.” This led to the mayor pulling the rezoning plans for the council agenda, temporarily shelving the project until the town can get feedback from residents.
“The message was loud and clear, the people of Caledon need and deserve more information,” Groves said in a statement.
To help get that info out the town is holding three public information sessions this month to share details about the rezonings and “the details about each of the 12 parcels of land.”
The town says Each info session will offer clarity on the application process, address inquiries from the public, and provide details on the proposed amendments.
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Here are the dates and times for all the public information session:
Southfields Community Centre – May 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Albion Bolton Community Centre – May 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Caledon East Community Centre – June 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Ontario granted the mayors of Caledon and Brampton so-called “strong mayor powers” in 2022, expanding their authority over city budgets, the hiring and firing of senior city staff, affordable housing and other infrastructure projects. Only a two-thirds majority vote of council can overturn a strong mayor decision.
The province introduced the legislation after setting an ambitious target of building 1.5 million new homes in Ontario by 2031, with Caledon expected to start 13,000 builds. Some 778 new housing units were started in Caledon in 2023 accounting for 82 per cent of a 953-unit target.
The town said the 12 proposed developments are projected to bring 35,000 housing units to Caledon “over time,” but the town hasn’t given a timeline for when that number could be achieved or details on the individual applications.
Caledon said in March that the move signalled to developers that the town “is open for business.”
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