Local Journalism Initiative
Limerick Lake Estates plan to break ground by May 2021
During the Limerick Township planning committee meeting on Dec. 21, there was an update presented on Limerick Lake Estates. While there has been progress, there were still some logistical issues to be overcome before construction can begin on the development. Victoria Tisdale, the clerk and treasurer for Limerick Township, summed up the discussion regarding Limerick Lake Estates at the meeting, saying that the developers wanted to begin construction on the road leading into the building site, but there was still paperwork and documentation to be looked over by the lawyers. She said that more information would follow at the next planning meeting later on in January. The Limerick Lake Estates, in the description on the Limerick Lake Estates website, will consist eventually of 118 lots that will be up to an acre or more in area, with a total area of 320 acres. The whole development boasts over 4,000 feet of shoreline and multiple recreational opportunities including a proposed recreation centre, hydro at the road and four drilled wells on site. Mayor Carl Stefanski echoed Tisdale’s optimism about the development’s progression. “The planning committee meeting of December 21 appears to have progressed a step further towards the construction stage. Thedeveloper has been very understanding of the requests of council and has accommodated same. The township’s and developer’s solicitors have a few details to agree upon and due to the holiday season has delayed a resolution for both parties,” he says. As of the Dec. 21 meeting, all bills from Limerick Lake Estates had been forwarded to Trident Members Inc./Powell for reimbursement and a cheque had been received Dec. 17 by the township for the full amount owed, $15,060.08. Stefanski then asked Murray Davenport from M.J. Davenport and Associates, Trident Members’ engineer, for an update, who in turn gave the table over to Al Burton, the lawyer for Trident Members Inc. to provide an update, as they had given all requested materials over to Burton and Kirsten Musgrove, the township’s lawyer, and it was in their hands now. Burton agreed with this and said that indeed he needed to have a discussion with Musgrove on the outstanding issues. He then brought up the phasing plan, the version of which he’d sent out back in 2014 that he deemed up to date. Davenport interjected and said that there was another version of said phasing plan with some minor changes, those changes being two lots that changed direction at the corner of Royal Drive and Windermere. He said he would circulate it amongst all parties, and Burton and everyone else in the meeting thanked him for that. Burton went on to say that there were some changes to be made to the overall subdivision and condo agreement for the development and the drainage easement drawings were in the process of being finalized, and were still in the draft stage. The Ontario land surveyor, Geyer Surveying, is still working on finishing up these final drawings and they will hopefully be ready soon. “Once I have all the appropriate drawings and surveys, I will forward it all to the township as a complete package, for the township lawyer to look at and sign off on,” he says. Burton mentioned that they need to update costs and schedules with respect to the subdivision and condo agreement as well. Davenport brought up another issue about confirming the hydro servicing plan for the development, which as done for phase one of the project but still needed to be completed for phases two to five. “It’s my understanding that hydro servicing plans are only good for six months after they issue their invoices, so if it’s a phased development, it’s really not appropriate to design for the whole subdivision. We have provided for in the design completed to date the future expansion to phases two to five, and it is already in the design for phase one. I think this matter should be sorted between the two lawyers so we can get on with the development,” he says. Councillor Jan MacKillican reiterated some issues that had been resolved, including phone service being only doable through cell service, that the Crowe Valley Conservation Authority had been out to inspect the site and had issued a permit, and that Hastings County had already approved the street names for the upcoming development. According to Burton, there were still several items pertaining to the development that he had not shared with Musgrove yet, as he wanted to ensure they were complete and send over to the township a complete package to minimize materials being sent back and forth, and the extra money that would cost his client. “That package is not ready to be given to the township lawyer until we have the drawings in a state that we’re comfortable with. Quite frankly, those drawings will be the legal means through which to transfer the drainage easements that were required as well as registering the overall plan of subdivision and condo plan. So, there are certain things that Davenport has given me that the township has not seen yet, but will see once we’ve got the complete package ready to go,” he says. Mayor Stefanski remarked that the items they were discussing were much the same as the ones they’d discussed at the November planning meeting, and wanted to make clear that the township was in no way holding things up. However, he did want to know why. Burton replied that the township wanted everything registered before proceeding with any construction, and Tisdale confirmed that Musgrove had recommended not going ahead with any construction until the plans and the amending agreements were registered. Therefore, once Musgrove approves the construction proceeding and the surveyor finalizes the drawings, they can go ahead with building the road into the nascent development. Davenport piped in that at this point, he had heard that there would be at least a two-to-three-month delay before that could happen. Since March and April were out of the question due to half load season, May of 2021 was looking like the earliest they could start the road construction. Burton is optimistic that things can get underway sooner than that if he is able to get all the material he needs to forward the completed package to the township soon. Mayor Stefanski conceded that everything was slowly coming together, hopefully sooner rather than later. Burton said that he appreciated that everyone was anxious to move things forward, especially his client, Trident Members Inc. “However, submitting something incomplete to the township will not move things along in terms of registration, so it would be pointless. There is certainly no blame being cast about the township’s efforts by my client. The issues lie with our team but we’re trying to resolve them and move forward in as positive and expeditious manner as possible.” Michael Riley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Bancroft Times
