Contentious land transfer delays decision on bog
A routine transfer of land from a developer to the town of Hudson proved surprisingly contentious at last week’s town council meeting. The developer of a proposed new subdivision in the Como Gardens area is required to transfer either 10 per cent of the land to the city to be preserved as parkland, or cut a cheque to the town for the equivalent value, which would be allocated to a dedicated parks fund. Council delayed making a decision, referring the issue to the natural infrastructure committee for further discussion, as members were split on which would be the more ecologically responsible choice. A report on the issue is expected to be tabled at the April council meeting. Mayor Jamie Nicholls said while council could not reach a consensus on the issue, all members are agreed that the bog must be protected to the best of the town’s ability. The Como bog is the most ecologically valuable wetland in Hudson’s territory. The sensitive ecosystem was disrupted when the first wave of development on Como Gardens St., in the 1960s and 1970s, divided the bog from adjacent wetlands. “When the road was put in it sliced through the landscapes and separated them,” said Nicholls. According to councillor Austin Rikely-Krindle, there is also another option on the table, to take a portion of land and a portion in servitude to create a buffer zone between properties that would back on to the bog. Rikely-Krindle said while there aren’t many large mammals now living in the Como bog, the area is home to turtles and smaller amphibians. Because these species are aquatic, he said the town could add culverts to connect wetlands now separated by the road to improve water exchange. While the town owns a portion of the bog, the developer who owns the neighbouring parcel, Sébastien Weiner, has already obtained authorization from the Ministry of Environment to build up to 14 homes in the area.