The official plan will be amended in North Huron to accommodate the new elementary school that will be built on the adjoining property of FE Madill Secondary School.
The plan will have the currently zoned residential changed to a community designation.
At a public meeting, March 1, North Huron planner Sandra Weber said that the proposal meets the North Huron official plan policies, “in regards to suitability of the use, abutting a public road of a standard of construction satisfactory to the township, and adequate municipal servicing.”
The design of the school has yet to be drawn up, however planning for the site is well underway.
The subject property, east of the high school, will require an extension of John Street to allow for the 18.14 acres to be developed.
There were two letters received from neighbours of the site, expressing concerns about traffic, parking, safety, and negative impacts on property values, and Weber said that a traffic study has been done.
Jeremy Taylor, an engineer from RJ Burnside was at the meeting, and said there are plans in the works to deal with traffic concerns.
He outlined improvements to the existing gravel parking lot at FE Madill, which will be paved and curbed to limit the size of the exit/entranceway.
“For lack of a better term, It’s a free-for-all there,” he said, adding, “if you pave the parking lot and paint on the lines, you’re going to make your lot more efficient.”
There will be properly engineered access points to the new parking lot and the road will follow a curve, which will “naturally help to slow traffic,” said Taylor.
Buses will have a right-hand loading and drop-off point, and sidewalks will be extended to allow for pedestrian traffic.
He said there will be 24 buses in and out every day. Any additional traffic will be mostly staff that will arrive before the buses pull in, and leave after they’re gone.
A parent drop-off site has not been addressed, said Taylor.
“Formally, it’s not in the mandate to design parent drop-off,” he said.
But North Huron Coun. Archie MacGowan said it should be at least considered, as town parents with very young children will be dropping them off.
“It is currently happening. At Wingham Public (School) it is, to use your word, a free-for-all. People are parking in no parking. How are we going to address that?” he said to Taylor.
The motion to amend the official plan was carried six to one, in a recorded vote, with Coun. Brock Vodden opposed, saying in a later interview that it was to send a message to the Blyth community that their sentiments to save their school are not going unheard.
The motion will now go to Huron County Council for approval, and if it passes there, council can amend the zoning bylaw.