Heather Wright/The Independent

Gold Leaf Developments is balking at the idea of paying the cost of a sidewalk from it’s new seniors development on Confederation Line to Wyoming.

So the town is taking a second look at the requirement it imposed in the site plan control.

It’s the latest twist in the history of the plot of land which was the subject of an Ontario Land Tribunal deal. It saw the land deemed residential so original owners could build housing down the road from Wyoming in an area not yet connected to infrastructure such as sewers and sidewalks.

There was a plan for 20 homes in a cul-du-sac, but the developer sold the property to Gold Leaf Properties six months after PW council gave approval for the plan. In February, Gold Leaf Properties brought its plans for a 51-unit seniors rental development, similar to one already built in Petrolia.

At that time, councillors were firm that Gold Leaf needed to build a sidewalk for seniors to get down the busy road to town.

“It shouldn’t cost the town a dime to run a sidewalk out because they chose to buy that farm,”  said Councillor Mike Vasey. 

Councillor Kristin Rodrigues agreed; “That’s part of your responsibility to provide that now… all the way down to a connecting point,” Rodrigues said.

But in a letter to council, Gold Leaf’s planners say the cost of the elevated sidewalk – if it had to complete the engineering and design a sidewalk to municipal standards, “would create a substantial financial burden that would render this project not feasible.”

They estimate a 510 metre long sidewalk from the Confederation Road development to Second Street in Wyoming, where the sidewalk begins, could cost $50,000. 

About 131 metres, with a value of $13,500, are along Gold Leaf’s property.

“It is premature for a 510 metre sidewalk to be provided along Confederation Line at this time and should be evaluated by the municipality and the county for a potential municipal…reconstruction project in the future,” said Engineer Louis Pinsonneault in the letter. 

The company wanted to provide $13,500 for the future construction of a link between the development and the town.

Cindy Reed of Gold Leaf told council Monday the sidewalk to town which the company agreed to “is a lot more challenging than just I think we all originally thought.”

And she pointed out Gold Leaf’s development would be bringing in about $460,000 in development and parkland fees to the town. 

“It is going to be a very large, payment from Gold Leaf Properties that will go to the town. You can decide to allocate some of those funds to this in addition to the amount that we’re proposing for this sidewalk.

“I just want to reiterate the fact that this development has to stay feasible. That we can’t totally bear all of these costs for the benefit of adjacent landowners and other town residents. …We don’t think it’s fair that Gold Leaf should have to bear sole cost of it.”

Councillor Rodrigues expressed some frustration that a piece of land away from the town now needs services. “We do call this an urban settlement … This is how this was all promoted to us. And here we are with these road blocks,” she said.

Councillor Bob Woolvett said that since the development was going to be geared to seniors, not children, the sidewalk may not be necessary right now. “Future use makes a lot of sense, in my opinion, like say it’s a long ways out, and I’m just not sure,” he told council.

And Vasey was looking for a solution suggesting the town could consider a multi-use trail instead since it would be easier to install.

Council decided not to accept Gold Leaf’s proposal to put $13,500 into the project but it did commit to looking for a solution in the next month.

The motion was defeated, and staff was directed to explore alternative solutions, including trails and road widening