Ancaster advocates want sustainable growth, not boundary expansion

After winning his re-election in 2018, Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson decided to join the city's planning committee after removing himself from the sometimes intense and exceedingly long meetings.

But at the time, Ferguson said it was necessary to be on the committee in order to protect his hometown.

Ancaster is under siege by planning developments," he said. We've had our share of growth. I'm getting pushback on development from residents."

The opposition to urban growth stems from town's growth as its population has jumped from 14,000 to 40,000 in a short time.

Over the last three years development applications have been submitted to the city for what some people believe will transform the town, such as the townhouse development approved for 15 Church St., the proposed long-term-care facility at Wilson and Rousseaux streets on the former Brandon House property, and a proposed large condominium development by Urban Core Developments and Spallacci Homes of seven storeys, which would be the tallest building in downtown Ancaster.

Ferguson introduced a monster" home bylaw in Ancaster, which was approved by council in 2019, to prevent large homes from disrupting existing neighbourhoods that had been built during the post-Second World War boom in the 1950s on large lots for drainage and to contain their septic systems.

Bob Maton, chair of the Ancaster Village Heritage Committee, who lives in the Maywood neighbourhood, helped to create the organization in the aftermath of the Brandon House demolition in March 2020 to protect established neighbourhoods from overdevelopment.

Maton said those smaller houses in the 1950s were at the time affordable" homes that were purchased by people who worked constructing Highway 403.

We would like to see more affordable housing," he said. We need to see more mixed housing in the town. But the city is going in the opposite direction."

The committee, which has over the last 16 months grown in influence, has appealed council's decision to allow the townhouse development at 15 Church St.

There needs to be a balance," he said. Development needs to be consistent with the neighbourhood, consistent with the streetscape."

Maton points to a residential development proposed for 280 Wilson St. E. as a great plan" that will add a three-storey building but keep the current heritage structure in place.

And while local residents are fighting against the infill developments within the existing Ancaster borders, some are opposing Hamilton's attempts to expand the city's urban boundary that will open up additional residential and commercial development. Over the last decade townhouse developments have been plentiful along Garner Road, but within the urban boundary.

Uncontrolled expansion is unsustainable," said Ancaster resident Nancy Hurst, who lives in one of those townhouses. You can't pave over farmland."

Hurst, along with other environmental advocates, including Environment Hamilton, have denounced the city's proposal to expand the urban boundary, at the insistence of the provincial government. The city is asking the public for its input on whether or not to expand the urban boundary by the end of July. Hurst says even farmers are opposed to it.

Hurst said there are still options in Ancaster for infill residential developments, such as along Wilson Street. An idea called the missing middle housing" allows for diverse housing options, such as duplexes, fourplexes, and multiplexes. These buildings can fit into established residential neighbourhoods.

According to Zolo, the average house price in Ancaster is over $1.2 million with a residential property up for sale for an average of about 11 days.

Real estate website Zoocasa states that Ancaster is the least affordable housing market in the area. A buyer earning the median income of $86,148 would fall about $18,800 short of qualifying for a mortgage.

Hurst said adding housing will eventually drop the sky-high prices down for people to afford.

Once you build over a farm, it is gone and you can't get it back," she said.