Brantford Expositor

Queen's Park asked to study shifting future Hwy. 24 route; Brant County council supports developer's request in principle

Posted By John Paul Zronik

Posted May 21, 2008

Brant County will ask the province to consider shifting the southern end of a proposed new Highway 24 eastward and potentially create a new interchange at Jerseyville Road. Councillors voted to make the request during a meeting of council on Tuesday, following a lobbying effort by Concord-based development company First Urban, which had asked Brant to support in principle a Jerseyville Road interchange.

The province is in the planning stages of creating a new Highway 24, which would serve as a link between Brantford and Cambridge, connecting with Highway 401 in the north and Highway 403 in the south. A Highway 24 planning study has suggested placing the southern end of the new highway at either Garden Avenue or Wayne Gretzky Parkway in Brantford, but First Urban believes both locations could have negative impacts on future development.

Tony Perruzza, of First Urban, said placing the southern end of the proposed highway at Jerseyville Road fits with the vision for developing Brant's eastern area, including Cainsville, put forward during city-county boundary talks. "If the intent is to really grow Brant East, why not make the right decision today," Perruzza said in an interview outside council chambers. "We're trying to think more long term."

A proposed boundary adjustment agreement between the city and county - reached in February 2007 but stalled since then - would see the transfer of more than 4,000 acres of county land into the city. In exchange, the county would receive access to city water for development in the Brant East area.

Perruzza also said putting the southern end of a new Highway 24 at Garden Avenue or Wayne Gretzky Parkway would lead too much traffic from major highways into residential areas.

As well as asking the province to consider First Urban's request, council will also ask Ontario to advise the municipality of its position on the issue.

"(This) should not be interpreted as favouring one suggested route over another, but rather ensuring that all options are given full consideration," David Johnston, the county's director of development services, wrote in a report to council. The county has yet to make official comment to the province on any suggested route for the proposed new Highway 24.

First Urban has been pursuing development plans in the Garden Avenue and Highway 403 area since 2006. The company has proposed residential and industrial development in the area and one of the company's properties sits in a corridor identified as a possible route for a new Highway 24.

Ella Haley, a member of Sustainable Brant, an organization that works to preserve Brant farmland and natural areas, said council's decision to ask the province to consider First Urban's request is bad optics.  "It looks as if council is acting for First Urban," Haley said during a presentation to council. "It doesn't look as if the county is trying to protect farmland and that worries me."

Haley said a new Highway 24 interchange at Jerseyville Road would encourage urban sprawl. She said local residents need to be consulted about the proposal.

Article ID# 1035637