A retirement home near Bloomingdale was cleared this week to expand the number of residents it can house, but Woolwich council capped any future growth at the location.
The senior’s group home at 762 St. Charles St. W., between Bloomingdale and Maryhill, can now accommodate up to 16 residents, up from 10 under the previous zoning, councillors decided Tuesday night.
Located on land zoned agricultural, which allows for group homes with up to six residents, the operation was permitted to expand to 10 residents by the township’s Committee of Adjustment in 1998. The home has 10 bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. With this week’s decision, the retirement home now has the option to double occupancy in some of the rooms.
That was as far as council was willing to go, however, as planner Jeremy Vink argued clearance for 16 residents was “already pushing the envelope.”
Any larger, he said, and the home would become institutional; that kind of use is permitted only in the urban areas.
Council’s decision was met with some surprise by owner Deborah Schnurr, who said the existing building could easily accommodate 20 residents. She would also like to keep the option of building an addition to the home.
“I didn’t think this was going to be a big deal at all,” she said of the request to increase the number of residents, noting there is a large need for the kind of accommodation she offers.
Township officials were unmoved, however. Vink noted Region of Waterloo planning staff are already concerned about the size of the operation, and are opposed to any additional expansion.
In future, the region wants to see group homes limited to five residents.
“This may be the last one through,” he said.
As well, provincial policies to protect agricultural land prohibit expansion of this kind of use.
Mayor Bill Strauss said he would only support the recommendation if all the conditions limiting expansion are met.
“I will not support anything else on this property: it’s not in the right area.”
