Brookswood and Fernridge residents aiming to shape the future of their neighbourhoods are being asked to join a 12-member Neighbourhood Planning Team.
The neighbourhood planning process is getting underway this year for Booth, Fernridge, and Rinn – three neighbourhoods in the Fernridge area, also known as South Brookswood.
The Brookswood-Fernridge Neighbourhood Planning Team (NPT) will have members who are property owners and residents from each of the three areas, along with representatives from the developed areas of Brookswood, youths, seniors, and those with an interest in the environment.
The Township is planning round-table formats for the NPT to work with municipal staff, offering feedback and reviewing materials.
The NPT will also assist in establishing three Neighbourhood Planning Sub-Teams for Booth, Fernridge, and Rinn.
The process of drafting a new Official Community Plan (OCP) for Brookswood was lengthy and controversial.
In 2014, council voted down an OCP after a great deal of community opposition, including a protest march and multiple packed public hearings and open houses.
Residents worried about density, loss of tree cover, traffic, impact on schools and other services, and the environment and water table in Fernridge. Residents of the more developed area of Brookswood north of 36th Avenue worried about the impact of a denser development to their south.
After that OCP was scrapped, a second round process took in more public opinion. It was still controversial, but after a lengthy back and forth that saw the plan amended, defeated, and brought back again, it was passed in 2017.
Now the Township is moving forward with the final phase, creating neighbourhood plans. Council approved the terms of reference for the plans in January.
To sign up for one of the teams, visit tol.ca/BFNP or pick up a paper application at the Township Civic Facility or the George Preston Recreation Centre. Deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Feb. 28.