Mount Elgin expected to nearly triple in size, village boundary expansion likely required

Debbie Kasman, Tillsonburg Post Correspondent

At its June 3 meeting, planning staff from Oxford County shared a report with SWOX councillors saying the village of Mount Elgin has recently been experiencing, and is expected to continue to experience, considerably higher than previous levels of growth and development.

Planning staff estimate that Mount Elgin village currently contains approximately 300 households, representing a population of approximately 900.According to the most recent draft growth forecasts for the township, Mount Elgin is expected to add more than 800 households over the next 30 years, which will almost triple the current population of the village, making Mount Elgin the size of Tavistock.

Substantial employment growth has also been forecast for the village over that same time period. In order to accommodate this growth, a village boundary expansion will likely be required.

Mount Elgin is designated as a ‘Serviced Village’ in the County Official Plan and is the only settlement in the township serviced by both municipal water and wastewater infrastructure. Therefore Mount Elgin is intended to be the township’s primary growth centre and will need to accommodate the majority of the residential and employment growth forecast for the township over the next two to three decades.

Planning staff suggested the township consider undertaking a secondary planning process for the village in order to comprehensively assess the various land use challenges and opportunities and to establish a clear vision and land use policy direction to guide development and investment for the next 20 to 30 year period.

The primary purpose of this secondary planning process would be to justify the extent, location and direction of the proposed settlement boundary expansion and to identify appropriate land use designations, major road alignments, public service and infrastructure locations and requirements, pedestrian and transit routes, development phasing, how agricultural land and other natural resources (e.g. wetlands, woodlands, valley lands, aggregates) and cultural resources would need to be protected and how environmental hazards (e.g. floodplains, erosion hazards) can be avoided.

Approximately 295 new residential lots/units have recently been approved for Mount Elgin village. To support the approved residential development and future forecasted growth, Oxford County and SWOX Township have committed to substantial investments in infrastructure and public services, including wastewater treatment plant expansions, a new township municipal office and day care, and a new 1.65 ha (4.07 ac) municipal park.

To ensure efficient use of these investments and that these public facilities will be as accessible as possible for residents, the township has expressed the desire to integrate and connect new development (public and private) with existing and future public infrastructure, facilities, and services.

The township has identified that Plank Line/Highway 19 (a provincial highway under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation) as being a significant challenge for growth of the village, both in terms of obtaining new road accesses and the overall connectivity and walkability of the community.

Highway 19 bisects Mount Elgin village, resulting in a geographic divide

between the eastern and western parts of the village, which presents challenges for establishing a cohesive village core or “downtown” area and serves as a significant barrier to developing an integrated walkable community, especially considering the speed and volume of vehicular traffic on Highway 19. Residents feel unsafe crossing Highway 19, leading them to access services elsewhere and/or primarily stay on the west side of the village.

Attracting businesses and services to Mount Elgin is also a key township priority. It was noted in the staff report that opportunities to accommodate new businesses within existing buildings and/or commercial areas in the village are currently limited. As such, one of the key challenges in realizing the township’s vision for the community will be creating a new commercial “hub” or “core” area for the village that will be able to accommodate new businesses and services to serve the growing needs of the community.

As Mount Elgin is the largest serviced settlement in the township and future home for the township’s municipal offices, there is a desire to create and support a unique sense of place and identity for the village of Mount Elgin.

Councillors approved a motion in June for township and Oxford County planning staff to work together to develop a detailed terms of reference for a secondary plan to establish the overall scope and expectations for the project including any further consultation with council that may be required.

If approved, the cost for the full secondary plan, including recommendations for boundary expansion, could be anywhere from $100,000 to $400,000, with 50 per cent of the cost generally shared between the township and the county.