A Southwestern Ontario city wants more land. A nearby town is pushing back

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Facing fierce opposition from residents, politicians in one small Southwestern Ontario town are proposing a boundary adjustment that would give neighbouring Woodstock a small fraction of the nearly 400 hectares of land it seeks.

After Woodstock proposed to expand its south end by about 395 hectares (975 acres), Norwich council voted unanimously Tuesday in favour of a plan to give up just 43 hectares (106 acres).

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The decision followed two public meetings at which the 395-hectare plan drew fire from Norwich Township residents. Municipal staff received scores of letters and a 400-signature petition opposing the plan.

“All of the families living in Norwich Township do so willingly,” said Ben Kungl, a township resident who addressed township council at Tuesday’s meeting. “If we wanted to be in Woodstock or another city, we would’ve chosen that.”

Losing agricultural land, wetlands, heritage roads and residents would contribute to the community’s “demise,” he added.

“It seemed to me very clear in the meetings at the end of June that the public sentiment . . . was overwhelmingly against (the 395-hectare proposal),” Coun. Karl Toews said at the meeting.

Multiple letters cited cost-of-living worries, such as property taxes and connecting to city water and sewage connections, if township residents had to change municipalities.

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The Laurette family wrote township staff, concerned about wastewater and property taxes, but also uneasy about whether their children would have to change schools because of the new municipal border.

“When we purchased our house in Norwich, we had intended for it to be our forever home,” the letter states. “And now we feel that being forced to become a part of Woodstock will be the end of this dream.”

The main purpose of the proposed boundary adjustment is to allow realignment of Patullo Avenue to intersect Highway 59 farther from Highway 401 on- and off-ramps, a Transportation Ministry requirement to permit industrial development on the road’s north side. The new boundary would put the road in Woodstock.

“If a new road access is all that is needed, then why is a sizeable increase to the 900-plus acres being proposed to Woodstock?” Kungl asked councillors.

Another factor in the boundary adjustment is growing Woodstock’s long-term need for future development land.

Though there were financial concessions, such as future tax dollars and tax refunds for financial losses, township council bowed to residents’ concerns.

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“We’re not here to stand up for the City of Woodstock, we’re here obviously to represent the best interests of Norwich,” said Toews.

Council included a list of provisions in its 43-hectare proposal, such as Woodstock paying legal fees and holding public consultations before final approval of any adjustment.

Any final adjustment must be approved by Norwich Township, Woodstock, and Oxford County councils before it goes to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval.

Norwich’s plan is expected to go to Woodstock city council Thursday and to Oxford County council Sept. 11.

bwilliams@postmedia.com

@BrianWatLFPress

The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada

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