General News

New Tecumseth Council receives priority water allocation list

September 20, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By BRIAN LOCKHART

New Tecumseth Council received a report detailing priorities for water allocation two years ahead of the anticipated completion of system improvements.

The report identifies existing approved development that will serve as priority development areas for water allocation to advance the construction of housing.

Collingwood is completing a Water Treatment Plant Interim Capacity Feasibility Study that will facilitate additional water capacity for development prior to the completion of the expansion of the Water Treatment Plant by mid-2026.

New Tecumseth is completing a Well Optimization Study that will also identify additional water capacity in mid-2026 for development prior to the completion of the Water Treatment Plant expansion.

New Tecumseth’s practices will need to change to enable the servicing of development sites, sales programs and home construction for occupancy in 2026.

Around 2,300 housing units could be available by the second quarter of 2026 through these two initiatives.

The Beeton Meadow Phase 1 development represents 135 pre-sold housing units (pending water availability) and can begin construction in the very near term. Water capacity has been made available through the early water that is flowing in accordance with the WTP expansion agreement with Collingwood.

New Tecumseth currently has an inventory of 4,639 already approved housing units. These units are on hold pending additional water capacity. Staff have identified over 2,300 housing units that could proceed to building permit issuance in the 2025-2028 timeframe if water availability was not an issue.

To facilitate housing construction in this timeframe, the Town needs to change its practice of allocating water only after it is flowing to one that aligns housing construction and occupancy with the timing of the completion of capital improvements. 

The Town also needs to limit the risk of having home sale closings impacted by a delay in the completion of capital improvements, and it is recommended that allocation be given no greater than two years prior to the scheduled completion of capital improvements. This coincides with the typical timing of when a development undergoes servicing, sales, construction and occupancy.

The risk is further limited by the practical timing of the number of closings that can occur in any given period of time. Currently, 250 cubic metres of additional water is flowing from Collingwood under the terms of the WTP expansion agreement. An additional 150 cubic metres will flow in the next year.

In order to initiate New Tecumseth’s housing program, staff identified 135 units in Beeton Meadows Phase 1 that can rapidly proceed with a building permit since these units are pre-sold, awaiting water allocation.

Staff will work to expedite the remaining servicing of the site through 2024-2025 with building permits anticipated to be ready for issuance in 2025.

Accelerating the housing construction program will not only facilitate the construction of much-needed housing but will also accelerate the collection of development charge revenue.

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