Sarnia's mayor is eager to start moving forward with industrial and residential developments, east of London Line.
City council will consider two concept plans for the Sarnia Business and Research Park during Monday's meeting, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
The area in question is separate from the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park (WSLRP) and the 402 Business Park, which is currently undergoing detailed engineering and specialized studies. Mike Bradley said there seems to be some confusion, as this plan covers the roughly 260 acres around the WSLRP.
"If this moves forward in the future, it would connect Wellington over to London Line where John's Restaurant is, and help traffic flow," Bradley said.
City staff and stakeholders are backing concept one, which includes 20 industrial lots.
One vacant block would run adjacent to Highway 40, two blocks would run alongside Perch Creek and the Bissell-McArthur Drain, one block for infrastructure would be adjacent to the WSLRP, and one block north of Perch Creek would provide access from London Line.
Bradley said he will support the recommended concept. "It facilitates some of the additional road work," he said. "It's probably the right size for most of the inquiries we get. We are fortunate, we also have the other business park on Highway 402, but we also have heavy industrial lands down in the valley. TransAlta and others have land for sale for heavy industry. So this gives us, I think, in the marketplace a really good option."
The probable construction cost for concept one is $12.8 million, while the estimate for concept two (which includes 25 industrial lots) is $12.5 million.
"[The second option] is cheaper but strategically, it's better with the first one, the way it's laid out," Bradley said. "Also, the way it's going to be done, it will allow us to move quicker on groups that want to go into that park instead of going through a lengthy process."
Despite the economic uncertainty, Bradley said the city has received inquiries for lots that would support business development.
"It's bringing huge change to the city as we grow and move to the east," he said. "We're dealing with the housing issue, with the extension of Wellington, which will bring about up to 3,000 lots for housing in the area between Blackwell Road and Modeland, east of London Line. This will allow us to bring in industrial uses, but not heavy industrial uses."
If council approves a concept on Monday, detailed engineering work will begin. Bradley said optimistically, construction could take place in a couple of years.
He said the goal is to take a two-pronged approach with more housing and more business development in the city.
However, they're waiting on the Ford government to announce funding for the Wellington Street extension to move forward on the residential aspect.
