What's Coming Up at Council: Old Main Street development

Newmarket council will consider a new 20-unit residential development on Old Main Street.

Pentacore Development plans to bring a 20-unit housing development to the street and will present to council Oct. 7. Council will also consider new transit initiatives and the future of recycling in the community.

Here is what NewmarketToday will be following:

Housing development 

Developers plan to build 16 semi-detached units and a fourplex on Old Main Street and are seeking a zoning amendment to do so.

Pentacore Development's proposal includes 20 total multi-storey units, alongside 40 parking spaces in the residential neighbourhood. The project has been in the works dating back to at least 2022 and would represent intensification in the largely single-detached home neighbourhood.

One area resident has written in with concerns about the proposal. Julie Archbold said she worries about the impact the development could have next door to her, with her living on a floodplain.

“I have a deep connection with my land, and I am concerned that changing the zoning bylaw at 231 Old Main St. will negatively impact my land and my use of it,” she said. “The proposed project will alter the water’s natural behaviour.”

However, another resident has said the project makes sense for the area.

“The increased density helps toward the number of units needed to house an ever-growing population,” Joachim Baur said in a letter to council.

Council will hear out the development and provide feedback, but will not make any final decisions at the meeting, which is a public hearing.

Transit initiatives

York Region Transit is planning several route changes and service improvements for the new year.

Transit officials will present to council about their plans for transit in Newmarket in 2025. Changes include increasing the frequency of Route 33 - Wellington-Leslie and Route 57 - Mulock.

The presentation notes ridership continues to increase, with 2024 seeing a 13 per cent increase in Newmarket over 2023 so far.

Recycling changes

Some organizations and non-profits could have to find someone new to collect their recycling come 2026.

Newmarket is preparing, like all Ontario municipalities, to transfer over to producer-led recycling in 2026. Council is due to finalize a decision that will see it stop collecting from more than 300 non-residential sources, including some non-profits.

Recycling producers will have to start collecting recycling from residential sources. But certain locations like places of worship or charities will be not be eligible for this. Newmarket currently collects from hundreds of these non-eligible locations as part of regular residential area collection.

The municipality is streaming the council meeting Oct. 7 at 1 p.m. You can view the meeting at newmarket.ca/meetings or attend in person at 395 Mulock Dr. You can also set up a deputation or send correspondence by messaging [email protected].