‘Town inside of a town’ — LaSalle plan could nearly double population

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The Town of LaSalle is studying a development plan that could see the municipality’s current population nearly double in size.

The future of a 940-hectare area under review that sits next to Windsor, and how it’s developed, has prompted discussion among developers, residents and environmental advocates.

Around 80 community members gathered at LaSalle council chambers on Tuesday to weigh in on the Howard Bouffard Secondary Plan. If approved, the project could unlock the area for more growth and density, potentially adding new housing and workplaces for up to 29,000 people over the next 25 to 30 years.

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The town’s current population is just over 34,000.

“Growth is a difficult thing for some people to understand, and it’s a necessary feature of a municipality,” Mayor Crystal Meloche told the Star.

“I’ve grown up in LaSalle my entire life. I’ve known LaSalle from when it was 10,000 to 15,000 people, to what it is today,” she said.

“Growth is a good thing if it’s done right.”

The proposed development area is bordered by Normandy Street, Howard Avenue, Laurier Parkway, and Malden Road.

Currently home to farmland, Seven Lakes Golf Course, the Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex, Sandwich Secondary School, and three places of worship, the town has a broader vision for the area.

Parcels of land have been pre-zoned — to speed up future development — for commercial use, mixed housing, parks, infrastructure, and schools. Some parcels are designated as protected natural heritage areas.

“It really is a town inside of a town,” said Meloche.

During Tuesday’s meeting, head planner Ron Palmer, who was hired by the town to oversee the project, said the goal is a “complete community” with opportunities to “learn, live, work, shop, and play.”

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Much of the 940-hectare area is privately owned, said Meloche, with larger parcels held by developers and smaller plots by families.

Developers and landowners who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting were mainly concerned about pre-zoning, which ultimately decides what can be developed on their land.

Environmental advocates focused on preserving the area’s natural heritage features and connecting green areas.

Meloche said much of this input has already been included in the plan so far.

However, John DeMarco, an environmental advocate with a background in conservation, voiced concerns about the town’s approach to stormwater management, which he called a “huge technical challenge” for the Howard Bouffard area.

Until now, development of the targeted land has largely been on hold due to its classification as a flood area by the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA). Mitigating infrastructure must be added before any development can begin.

“We’re trying to take the next steps, knowing that there is a desire to live in LaSalle, knowing that this really is our biggest parcel of land that’s left to build on,” said Meloche.

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“There’s a lot of things that have to be put in place before anyone can start building.”

The town plans to manage stormwater with a network of manufactured collection ponds, but DeMarco argues against that approach.

“We can let some wetlands be wetlands,” said DeMarco, who owns two parcels of land in the Howard Bouffard area — one measuring 1.8 acres and the other half an acre.

“Their plan is to dig deep holes in the ground. That’s the way you maximize building, is by making the water disappear into holes, and you’ll see new subdivisions that have those ponds.

“That’s what you do when you consider water a nuisance and not part of a natural process.”

DeMarco said he would prefer the town maintain a larger area for stormwater so it can flow naturally, without the need for as many collection ponds.

Meloche told the Star that meeting every stakeholder’s expectations will be challenging.

Project planners will now review public input. A revised plan will go to council for a vote in January or February.

“This is a long-term project,” said Meloche.

“It really is just a continuation of our town, but making sure we continue with the things that we know are important to people who live here — and people who might live here in the future.”

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