The village of Lefroy will be getting a new Catholic elementary school.
The Province of Ontario has approved the location and funding for the proposed two-storey, 3530 to 3716 sq. m. school and child care centre/daycare, that will house 401 students and 48 daycare kids.
The problem is, the 2.22 hectare site selected by the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board needs to be rezoned before construction can begin, and the provincial funding comes with timelines. The school needs to be open by fall of 2023.
On Wednesday evening, a Special Meeting of Innisfil Council was held under the Planning Act to hear a Zoning Bylaw Amendment application, and a request from the SMCDSB to fast-track the rezoning.
The site is within the LSAMI P4 approved plan of subdivision, south of Killarney Beach Road and east of 20 Sideroad, but was not identified in the original 2008 P4 draft plan of subdivision, the town's senior planner, Steve Montgomery explained.
Although the property is designated in Innisfil’s Official Plan as “Community Services,” which would permit a school among a host of other uses, it is zoned Residential-2 Exception (H), for town homes and single family detached dwellings.
The amendment would change the zoning to Community Services-Exception (CS-X) to match the designation.
Montgomery noted that the plan of subdivision consists of 387 residential units, on approximately 29.01 hectares. Approving the Zoning Bylaw Amendment for the 2.22 ha school site would require a future “redline” application from the developer, to modify the rest of the plan and adjust the location of roads and units of housing.
The application was circulated to both town departments and outside commenting agencies, and a number of comments were received, Montgomery told the meeting.
In addition to a student population of 401, and 48 childcare spaces, the site would also be designed to accommodate up to 12 portables, housing another 276 students, and future additions of up to eight classrooms, for another 184 – bringing the total capacity, on build-out, to 909 children.
InnServices, the municipal corporation that manages sewer and water servicing, noted that the numbers are higher than originally proposed, and indicated that it would need to carry out new modelling, to determine if sufficient allocation is available.
Other comments included concerns over the Traffic Study, and the balance between school buses and other vehicles; and the impact of servicing and construction on an adjacent property.
Montgomery noted that the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee will be reviewing the proposal, and outlined a number of ‘next steps’ before the school is built - including Site Plan Approval for the school itself, and approvals from the Committee of Adjustment, for both servicing easements to bring sewer and water to the site in advance of construction of the subdivision, and the creation of a new public road for access off 20 Sideroad.
McMaster Avenue will be collector road, ending in a temporary cul-de-sac and turning circle. Once the subdivision is constructed, McMaster would become a through road.
Tim Schilling of KLM Planning, speaking on behalf of Filren Corp. (Lormel Homes), noted that the developer originally “did not contemplate a school site” in the location shown, and that the SMCDSB only identified the need for the school in 2017.
He presented conceptual designs for the new school, access road, and a “redline” plan for the subdivision, but warned that they were only approximations.
“The school board is still working with an architect to refine the design,” he said, and the developer will work with the town on changes to the approved plan.
Schilling provided details of the exceptions to the CS Zoning requested:
. No external loading space is needed.
. Pedestrian walkways should be allowed in landscape strips to maximize the usable area of the site.
. A reduction in the sideyard setbacks for the portables, from 9 m. to 5 m., is requested to maximize the developable area and provide more playground space.
The developer also asked that, if the site becomes surplus and is not developed by the SMCDSB, it revert to Residential use.
“I’m happy to see this finally coming to fruition,” said Coun. Bill Van Berkel, noting that he had received numerous calls from parents asking when a Catholic school would be built in the area. “They have been promised for some time.”
Van Berkel said that he liked the proposed site because it is not on a main arterial road, “like Alcona Glen Public School” which is located on Innisfil Beach Road and contributes to traffic issues at peak times.
“I think it’s a good location. I hope it goes forward,” he said.
Coun. Alex Waters pointed out that the new school will still increase traffic on 20 Sideroad, and asked if there were plans for another set of lights.
Development Engineer Scott Mackenzie replied that no signalization is planned, although “we’re still reviewing it.”
While the traffic numbers at this time don’t warrant a reworking of the current lights – traffic signals at Killarney Beach Road, and a pedestrian activated crossing at Killarney Beach Public School - a new traffic study is underway that could require changes once housing is built.
Mayor Lynn Dollin raised the issue of the mix of school buses and other vehicular traffic on McMaster, the only access road for the school before the subdivision is built.
The school board has indicated that five buses will bring kids to the new school, on a daily basis. “I’m a little concerned about how that would work,” said the mayor. “The buses are arriving half-empty, and parents are driving.”
She suggested a drop-off or ‘Kiss ‘n Ride’ that wouldn’t conflict with bus traffic – but noted that even when schools have a drop off area, there have been issues with some principals closing the parking lots at the start and end of the school day, due to conflicts.
“What that then does is push the problem out to us,” on town streets, she said. “Buses and cars don’t mix well.”
She asked how long after the opening of the school the surrounding homes would be built.
It was information that Schilling was unable to provide. “I don’t have that information, but I know that the school has a targeting opening of 2023,” he said, suggesting the homes would be constructed “sometime after that.”
Only one resident chose to address the meeting, via Zoom.
“I’m excited to get a new Catholic school here in Innisfil. It’s long overdue,” Leslie Pollak told councillors. He noted that at present, students are being bused from the Lefroy area to Alcona – to Holy Cross Catholic School, since the closer St. Francis of Assisi is "way over the number of students it could handle.”
He did raise questions about traffic on 20 Sideroad, with an existing public school on the west side of the road and the proposed access road to the new Catholic school on the east.
“This is a real big concern for me,” Pollak said, recommending “some sort of light” at the new entrance.
He also urged both the board and the town to avoid the “failed” Kiss ‘n Ride designs of schools like St. Francis and Alcona Glen.
“We can’t mix buses with cars, going in,” he said, identifying the successful drop-off at Lake Simcoe Public School in Alcona as a model. “I don’t want us to be doing it wrong again.”
An email was also received from resident Karlene Doyle, highlighting the need for accessible parking at the school, and walkways to provide connectivity to surrounding neighbourhoods.
There was no decision made at Wednesday’s meeting. All of the comments were received and referred to staff for review, and a report and recommendation to Council at a future date.
Residents wishing to comment may still do so at [email protected]
