On May 17, SkyDev held a public meeting for Meaford citizens to explain in some detail its plan to develop a waterfront section of land located in Special Policy Area #1 (page 50) as set out in Meaford’s Official Plan. This parcel of land, bounded by Fuller and Boucher streets, is subject to six principles that aim to ensure that any development of the site is pedestrian-oriented and has a mix of commercial and residential use.

Imagine Meaford remains committed to these six principles (B1.8.1.2 principles a-f).

We believe they provide a framework to guide good growth and to help us imagine what this jewel of a site could and should be for its citizens.

SkyDev’s initial plans were met with much criticism at the May 17 meeting. As a result, SkyDev agreed to go back to the drawing board on the site design. The company also met with Imagine Meaford on June 8, 2021 to discuss how the plan can be modified to meet the six guiding principles. The meeting identified for us where SkyDev’s thinking meets our principles and where more work still needs to be done.

Here is where they acknowledge the directives of the Official Plan: 

Principle b: The lands will be used for a suitable mix of residential, open space and commercial uses related primarily to the hospitality, tourism, and service sectors.  

• We believe SkyDev understands that a hotel is a “must have” as part of the development to fulfill the commercial aspect of this principle.

• We believe SkyDev is committed to including as much green and open space as possible through a redesign of its site that will allow it to be more pedestrian-friendly.

Principle d: The development will create and improve linkages to existing open space and harbour lands and will maintain public access to the waterfront.

• We believe SkyDev is committed to re-designing the site to ensure their plan better links the waterfront to the site’s open spaces and actually enhances the public’s access to the waterfront.  

Principle e: The development will provide pedestrian space and access to the waterfront and will minimize the amount of space use for parking cars.

• We believe SkyDev is committed to significantly reducing surface parking space, to maximize underground parking, and to enhance pedestrian space and access to the waterfront.

Here is where there is still some work to do:

Principle a: The lands will be planned and redeveloped in their entirety as opposed to being developed in an ad-hoc or piecemeal basis.

• The SkyDev plan addresses only one of three parcels of land in the Special Policy Area, which precludes the intention of creating continuity along our cherished shoreline. We believe there is a need to develop a vision for the other two parcels of land prior to SkyDev’s development plans proceeding through approvals. 

Principle c. The development will be compatible with surrounding residential uses.

• We remain concerned with the proposed density of this development and height and massing of buildings that abut the low-scale residential community that surrounds it. Even if the site is redesigned to open up more space and site lines for visual and pedestrian access to the waterfront, the development’s proposed density is about four times above the minimum set by the County’s requirement of 20 units per hectare.

Principle f: The development will support the objectives of the Urban Area Waterfront designation and the Waterfront Strategy and Master Plan.

• As our statement illustrates, SkyDev still has some work to meet all of Meaford’s waterfront strategy.