When we last heard of the Taylor’s Mill development, it had been given tentative approval to proceed by the Council of the day in October of 2014. It was just prior to the municipal election that Council gave the go ahead to the development of a ‘Sustainable Living Business Incubator’ model on lands formerly known as Concentrator Hill.
It has been a long process — ten years in fact — since the company headed up by Fraser Armstrong took possession of the land. But now the Taylor’s Mill development has received a Preliminary Review Letter from the City.
What this means, Armstrong says, is that the letter summarizes the additional information that must be provided for the proposed Work/Live Subdivision. Once a registered Disclosure Statement is completed, Taylor’s Mill can begin marketing and taking deposits on lots.
“This is a watershed moment for us at Taylor’s Mill,” said Armstrong. “It hasn’t been easy, to say the least but, because we have managed to survive, the public will be able to enjoy what promises to be the best serviced land value in years.”
Since TMP took possession of the land, they have brought over 400 acres of this contiguous piece into the city, have rezoned it and registered two access points.
This, while navigating perhaps the worst economic waters since the Great Depression, Armstrong says.
Much of the discussion around Taylor’s Mill had to do with the service levels the proponent said were needed allow the development to go ahead in a tough economic climate.
This particular type of development is rural, with larger lots allowing home-based businesses and different services than a standard city subdivision.
Council had been reluctant to allow smaller diameter water pipes, septic systems, gravel rather than paved roads and other changes which the proponent argued would make the development viable in this business climate.
But when the development was changed to a strata, Council was more comfortable. This means the strata would provide snow plowing, storm water management, garbage pickup, noxious weed control and road maintenance.
The city having agreed to a certain degree of rural servicing has enabled TMP to service two and a half acre lots that can be sold at comparative pricing to other serviced lots in the city, Armstrong says.
“They will be a hybrid urban/rural product. Those with small businesses or storage needs, or those wishing to have large gardens and a more sustainable life style should find these parcels appealing.
“These large work/live lots will have City water and fire protection, but will have gravel roads, overhead power and septic systems. The lots will be very affordable for their size and the views up here are without equal,” says Armstrong.
And he is eager for the community to come up and have a look.
“We would like to invite the public at large to come up and walk, ski, or snowshoe the property.”
TMP is making the land available to foot traffic and, during the Christmas season, families can harvest a Christmas tree anywhere on the land. TMP asks that if you do take a tree, donations in the name of the ‘Kimberley Rock Academy’, can be left either at the Elks or at the Arrow and Axe. Parking and foot access can be had at a well-established path off a Crownland road way on the east side of the Dransfeld Road terminus. Once on TMP there is a system of logging roads that access the entire property. Highways has asked that people respect the neighbours and to be careful not to block driveways when parking. It is also asked that people refrain from cutting large trees and taking the tops, as they are trying to maintain a healthy forest.