The subject property is municipally addressed as 1128 Rife Road and is located at the terminus of Rife Road between Highway 401 and the Canadian Pacific Railway line. The site is a large irregularly shaped lot covering approximately 21 hectares and is currently occupied by the Waterloo Regional Police Association’s head office and recreation centre, consisting of a 400-person banquet hall, restaurant, heated outdoor pool, sports facilities/fields, surface parking to accommodate approximately 600 cars, and a campground with approximately 82 campsites.
The subject property is currently serviced by private water and wastewater services. It experiences a frontage of 26.4 metres along Rife Road and has an approximate property depth of 720 metres.
The subject property is located within the regulated area of the Grand River Conservation Authority and is identified as containing a woodlot, a Provincially Significant Wetland, a segment of Cedar Creek, and an associated floodplain and slope valley.
The purpose of the Official Plan Amendment is to re-designate the subject lands from "Rural Areas" and "Open Space" to "Dry Industrial/Commercial" and "Highway 401/Regional Road 97 Employment Area" within the Township’s Official Plan.
The redesignation will allow for a range of light industrial and employment uses on private services, consistent with surrounding land uses and the planned function of the broader surrounding employment area. The southwestern portion of the site, which contains key natural heritage features, will retain its "Open Space" designation to ensure long-term environmental protection.
The accompanying Zoning By-law Amendment seeks to rezone the site from “Z.1 – Agriculture” with Site-Specific Exemption 20.1.47 to “Z.9 – Industrial” and “Z.12.B – Environmental Protection Two (EP2).” The Z.9 zoning will enable a broader range of light industrial and employment uses, while the EP2 zoning will apply to the environmental features at the southwest end of the site, limiting development and protecting the natural environment. A site-specific provision is also requested to permit a reduced lot frontage of 26.4 metres, recognizing the existing access condition.
No development concept or site plan has been submitted at this stage. The proposed amendments are intended to align the land use designation and zoning with surrounding employment uses, round out the existing employment area, and facilitate future compatible development on the site while protecting its significant natural features.
A hybrid Public Meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday, July 7th, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. Interested members of the Public have the option of either attending the Meeting in-person or alternatively to connect to the meeting through a virtual electronic platform. Please contact the Township Municipal Office for information on how to register and participate in the meeting. Any person may provide written comments on the proposal, attend the meeting, and/or may make verbal representation at the time of the meeting. The purpose of the Public Meeting is to present the details of the proposed applications and to solicit comments from members of the public and Council.
For more information about this matter, please contact Michael Campos, Manager of Planning at (519) 632-8800 ext. 132 or by email at mcampos@northdumfries.ca.
A planning report completed by Township Staff will be available on the Township website prior to the Public Meeting. The following submission materials have been provided to the Township for review: