Many years later, residents still oppose Sunnidale Rd. development plan
By: Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: BarrieToday.com, Feb 21, 2025
For the second time in almost 20 years, a developer’s proposal for the northwest corner of Sunnidale and Dobson roads in Springwater has been met with resistance from a number of local homeowners.
They argue the proposal, known as Stonemanor Woods phase five, is ill suited to the area and will have detrimental impacts on the environment, their privacy and their overall quality of life.
If approved, the development, located just west of Barrie, would bring the total number of single-family homes in Stonemanor Woods to 767.
Celeste Phillips, of Celeste Phillips Planning Inc., presented the proposal at a public meeting Wednesday evening in the township’s council chambers.
She said the proposed draft plan of subdivision seeks to create 30 single-detached residential lots, which are to be serviced by municipal water and sanitary sewers, one stormwater management block and one commercial block.
The proposed residential development will be accessed by a new road which will connect to Marks Road in the existing Stonemanor Woods subdivision, Phillips noted.
The Official Plan amendment proposes to redesignate a portion of the land associated with the 30 residential lots from general commercial to urban residential.
The southwestern portion of the land would remain general commercial to accommodate the proposed commercial block.
According to Phillips, when the Centre Vespra community plan was approved in 2007, the land was designated general commercial.
“It was contemplated to be a small commercial site — a video store, a convenience store, a dry cleaner,” she said. “Since then, consumer shopping patterns have changed and there’s no need for this large of a commercial space.”
Phillips said the space far exceeds what’s needed for this part of Springwater Township, given its proximity to Barrie’s retail-filled Bayfield Street.
She said a study done by Parcel Economics, commissioned by the property owner, recommended a reduction in the general commercial allocation to something that would accommodate a 5,000-square-foot commercial building and associated parking.
Phillips said the Parcel Economics study noted it was important that the commercial site needed to have exposure to Sunnidale Road, because Dobson Road is a dead end.
“A commercial site fronting Sunnidale would have the best bet of success,” she said.
That didn’t sit well with homeowners in the area.
“Stonemanor Woods has significantly contributed to destruction of our surrounding environment and peaceful country living,” Sunnidale Road resident Jose Rato wrote in his letter of opposition to the project.
“Now, not only is Stonemanor Woods proposing destruction of the last small piece of the forest across the street, but also reneging on the original plan and wanting to locate a commercial property directly across from us, instead of where it was originally proposed, within the development, to service the development,” he added.
Jennifer and Darren Bontius, Rato’s neighbours down the street, were concerned about the congestion the commercial development might cause on an already busy road.
“The intersection of Dobson Road and Sunnidale Road is a very busy area and by putting an entrance to a commercial zone within such a short distance of this intersection is just going to cause additional congestion, chaos and safety concerns,” they wrote in their letter to council. “Sunnidale is a busy road already; having the turn into a commercial development off of a much less busy road (Dobson Road) makes far more sense.”
They said they understand the need to adjust the size of the current commercial zone, but also say the condensed footprint should remain where it is and either be located at the intersection of Dobson Road and Marks Road, or the corner of Marks Road and Street ‘A,’ which is a new proposed street
“With it remaining there, it does not affect the homes surrounding it as these homes were all bought/built fully knowing the property adjacent was zoned commercial,” the Bontiuses wrote. “There are no homes on Dobson Road that the existing zoning would be interfering with, as well it would not increase traffic to the long-standing homes that are further up Dobson Road towards the dead-end.”
Another resident noted the lack of space in local schools.
Scott Fuglsang, of Moreau Way, said he contacted the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) on Tuesday and was told that both schools in the area are currently operating at full capacity.
“Increasing the neighbourhood by potentially 30 more families would place an even greater strain on an already overburdened school system,” he wrote.he need to adjust the size of the current commercial zone, but also say the condensed footprint should remain where it is and either be located at the intersection of Dobson Road and Marks Road, or the corner of Marks Road and Street ‘A,’ which is a new proposed street.
Fuglsang said the school board has no set timeline for the construction of a new school to accommodate the growing student population.
In its response to the township’s invitation for comment, Carina Nunes, planner with the SCDSB, wrote the board’s planning department staff have no objection to the proposed development and made the developer aware of the current situation.
“Please be aware that pupils residing in this development may not be accommodated in local schools due to accommodation limitations,” Nunes wrote.
She requested the following statements be included in all offers of purchase and sale:
That the owner(s) agree in the agreement to include in all offers of purchase and sale a statement advising prospective purchasers that accommodation within a public school in the community is not guaranteed and students may be accommodated in temporary facilities; including but not limited to accommodation in a portable classroom, a “holding school,” or in an alternate school within or outside of the community.
That the owner(s) agree in the agreement to include in all offers of purchase and sale a statement advising prospective purchasers that if school buses are required within the subdivision in accordance with board transportation policies, as may be amended from time to time, school bus pick-up points will generally be located on the through street at a location as determined by the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium.
Township staff will now prepare a recommendation report for council’s consideration.