Sally Green could be getting a whole lot of new neighbours, and she’s far from excited about it. “It scares me. The size of it, and the implications,” said the Sebringville homeowner. A 265 unit subdivision is being planned for a parcel of land, off Station Road in Sebringville. Neighbours are concerned about the potential, rapid arrival of that many new residents. “We’re a small town. And we would be more than doubling in size,” says Sebringville resident, Jason Brady. Brady, Green and several neighbours have joined forces to create Get Concerned Perth County, to try and fight the subdivision. One of their biggest concerns is water, because there is no municipal water system in Sebringville. Communal wells will be dug for the new subdivision, and then water and wastewater pipes will be installed, but only for the new development. “Everyone here in Sebringville is on a well. So we’re very concerned that the development of 265 homes and apartments and all the water that those homes will need, will have an effect on everybody else as well. Several wells in town did see an effect when they did do their testing,” said Brady. Get Concerned Perth County has asked the municipality for a hydrogeological study to determine if the communal wells and subsequent water and waste water treatment infrastructure for the new subdivision will impact the rest of the community. A consultant’s report recently concluded it wouldn’t, because the subdivision’s well would be much deeper than anyone else’s well in town. “We don’t feel heard by anyone who is seemingly in favor of going ahead with the development, yet does not live here and live day to day with the implications of this huge change,” said Green, who lives right beside the proposed development. Perth South council has previously indicated they are “excited” about this proposed subdivision, and believe it will not only increase their tax base, but could lead to more industry and stores for Sebringville. “We have been told it would attract new businesses. That may be. But, can we do it more slowly and at a rate where we can all be safe and be pleased when we hear that there’s going to be some infill? If they said, ‘there’s going to be half a dozen houses in that particular plot,’ we’ll probably go, ‘oh, great, new neighbors.’ But I don’t think 265 all at once, is a good choice for Sebringville,” said Green, who’s called Sebringville home for the past 10 years. “Sebringville is a great place to live. And we’re not against sharing it with people, it’s just the urban density. That is the issue here,” said local resident, Brady. Residents say they’re also very concerned about the increased traffic that would be a part of the subdivision, because there would only be one road in and out of the development. You can learn more about the project, at Get Concerned Perth County on Facebook or Township of Perth South.
