Council rejects Ferguson’s plan to exempt part of Ancaster from housing intensification

It will be up to Hamilton's next council - with the help of a stormwater study - to decide old Ancaster's share of hiked residential density.

But for now, roughly 1,840 properties won't be unconditionally exempt from the new zoning designed to intensify the urban area.

That's not what Coun. Lloyd Ferguson says he wanted upon his exit from local politics.

The longtime Ward 12 representative has expressed outrage that staff and councillors didn't consult him before short-circuiting that special status for Ancaster's existing-residential (ER) zone.

So there's something sneaky going on here and it bothers me," he charged during Friday's council meeting.

Residential intensification through the updated zoning is a key element of the city's long-term growth strategy.

The changes allow for as-of-right street townhouses and conversions of single-detached homes into triplexes and fourplexes in low-density neighbourhoods.

In short, the new zoning is designed to introduce gentle density" and eliminate exclusionary zoning" from parts of the city where in many cases only single-detached are allowed.

The updated policy flows from a revised overarching land-use document that reflects a council decision late last year to freeze Hamilton's urban boundary to avoid sprawl into farmland.

Forecasts predict an additional 236,000 people will move to Hamilton by 2051, an influx that's expected to require roughly 110,000 new homes.

Ferguson - who rejected the frozen-boundary approach last year but isn't seeking re-election Oct. 24 - has resisted applications for higher-density condo developments in Ancaster's low-slung village core.

And two weeks ago, he secured enough support at planning committee to exclude properties in its postwar neighbourhoods, generally west of Highway 403, from the new zoning.

Those neighbourhoods don't have storm sewers and flooding is already a problem at some homes during heavy rain, which additional residential development will only exacerbate, Ferguson said.

But with a 7-6 vote Friday, council decided to tie old Ancaster's zoning fate to the outcome of an ongoing public works study of flooding, grading and drainage.

That approach performs a really good balancing act" in addressing the flooding concerns and lays the groundwork for an informed decision based on evidence," Coun. Nrinder Nann said.

Nann and others, meanwhile, also asked Ferguson to apologize for suggesting staff and councillors had operated in bad faith.

Helping councillors draft motions is standard practice, added Jason Thorne, general manager of planning and economic development.

I do take issue with the suggestion that there's anything sneaky going on."

Ancaster's ER zone differs from other parts of the city in that construction plans for single-detached homes and duplexes require site-plan approvals to mitigate against flooding, Thorne also pointed out.

If the new zoning doesn't apply to the 1,840 properties in question, the city will have to make up the difference elsewhere to meet growth targets, chief planner Steve Robichaud noted.

But there shouldn't be a blank cheque" for any part of Hamilton when it comes to the new zoning, Mayor Fred Eisenberger contended. I think there's really a matter of equity and fairness in this."

But the ongoing stormwater study certainly puts to the test" whether flooding will be a factor, said Eisenberger, who called Ferguson's rant sadly unfortunate."

Ferguson, in turn, apologized for using the word sneaky" but said he was incredibly angry" about not being consulted as ward councillor, which has been the protocol."

Coun. Maureen Wilson said city politicians should follow the lead" of thousands of residents who urged a firm urban boundary last year in a municipal survey.

Because they understood that we are all in this together and that includes all parts of Ancaster, all parts of the Mountain, all parts of the lower city."

Coun. Tom Jackson, meanwhile, pointed to tremendous pushback" from east Mountain residents over policies to increase density in predominantly single-family neighbourhoods.

Areas that fall under secondary plans - which provide more granular policies specific to neighbourhoods - aren't affected by the most recent zoning changes. Those areas are to be reviewed next year.

Planning staff have emphasized that whether Hamilton sticks with its frozen-boundary plan or ends up with one that involves a previously recommended 3,300-acre expansion into farmland, the new residential zoning is needed to meet growth targets.

The city has submitted its proposed no-expansion official plan to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for approval.

A ministry spokesperson confirmed Monday the file is under review but didn't say when the city could expect a response.

Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com