A large residential property and a long-vacant piece of land abutting it could soon provide space for three homes for the Zenger family of Bloomingdale. The plan, the subject of a public meeting at Woolwich council Tuesday night, would see the lands owned by Fred and Carl Zenger reworked to form three building lots fronting on River Street.
The first step, discussed at this week’s planning meeting, calls for the rezoning of the land. If approved, severances would be required to portion up the land appropriately and to provide driveways leading back to the road.
Currently, a home owned by Fred Zenger sits on a 2.7-acre property at 55 River St. Immediately to the east is a one-acre landlocked property owned by Carl Zenger. The goal is to create three separate parcels: the original home on 1.2 acres, a new lot to the south at 1.24 acres and a third lot made up mostly of the vacant land (1.16 acres), including a strip that provides access to and frontage on River Street.
Fred Zenger said the two new building lots would be used for homes for two of his four adult children. The property is where he has spent most of his own life, having been purchased by his parents some 70 years ago.
The family was represented by IBI Group planner Natalie Hardacre, who said development of the sites would maintain as many as possible of the natural elements – mature trees, hedgerows – in order to provide screening from other homes in the area.
Two neighbours attended the meeting to express concerns about drainage, the impact on well water – there’s no municipal services; all of the homes are on wells and septic systems – and the introduction of two new driveways leading to River Street.
Those concerns would be taken into consideration when planning staff review the application, said director of engineering and planning Dan Kennaley, noting he would be back at a future date with a report for council.
