Director of Planning and Development Eric Withers answers questions on surplus land on Tuesday, November 28th
Renfrew’s Town Council is keen to hear more on the potential for growth and development within town limits.
As they met with department heads during their meeting on Tuesday, November 28th, councillors took the time to ask Public Works Director Mike Asselin if Renfrew’s wastewater system could handle a larger population.
He says it’s “a ways away” from needing a major upgrade.
Asselin adds the Renfrew’s water treatment plant is running at a third of its full capacity and will be able to handle development as it happens.
That discussion flowed over into Council’s introduction to Renfrew’s Planning and Development Department, as Director Eric Withers fielded questions on the state of privately funded construction projects.
Withers agrees that there has been a noticeable stall in new private projects due to increased expenses, but the town doesn’t have the luxury to wait until things improve.
Director Withers also touched on the status of vacant land that the town could sell off to developers in order to build homes and businesses.
Some of those bigger plots include 25 acres on Gibbons Road, 148 acres behind Mask Road, and another 12 to 14 acres behind Innovation Drive. Withers also mentioned the possibility of some unused parkland that could also be sold as surplus.
The next step in the process is examining which of those lots will be kept or sold, with the plan to start marketing them next year.
The Planning and Economic Development Commitee will hear more on what’s in the pipeline at their first meeting on Tuesday, December 13th.
(written by Kasey Egan)
