Vieux-Verger Project

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The Town of Sutton wishes to purchase the Vieux-Verger property to promote affordable housing

Sutton, November 3, 2022 — The Town of Sutton has reached a negotiated agreement this week with the owners of Le Vieux-Verger to purchase the 21-acre site for $1,409,000. The Vieux-Verger real estate project, designed to create a residential complex ideally located in the village core, is thus relaunched.

The amount of the agreement represents the fair market value (FMV) estimated by an appraisal firm on behalf of the Town of Sutton. By authorizing the administration to sign this offer to purchase, conditional on obtaining financing, the Town Council wishes to indicate its firm intention to promote the construction of affordable housing for middle-class families. The Town is also working on other projects to build even more affordable housing for seasonal and lower-income workers. Mayor Robert Benoît is pleased with this news: “We have been saying all along that in order to promote housing affordability, we need to increase the supply of affordable housing in the village core, so that young families can move in. This project will meet all of our goals for affordable housing, architectural integration, natural preservation and even trail extensions!”

A development project for the community

The land, located between Domaine-Mon-Louis and Seymour Street, is a five-minute walk from Principale Street. It has beautiful wooded areas and a wetland, as well as a topography conducive to the harmonious integration of housing. We want to keep a portion of the land intact to protect the wetlands and biodiversity,” adds the mayor. ‘’We will develop the existing pedestrian path that will provide a connection between the upper and lower parts of the village and encourage walking and cycling.”

The former owners of the land, the company Quatre Sur Table Inc. say they are satisfied with the agreement. After a dozen years of trying in vain to bring their ecological and cooperative project to fruition, they are passing the torch to the Municipality, though not without passing on their vision. We are happy for this project that was close to our hearts,” said their representative. This is the most effective way to take it to the next level and benefit the whole community.

The issue of the infrastructure to be provided (road access, water, and sewer systems) will be studied very quickly by the Urban Planning and Development Department in collaboration with the Public Works and Capital Assets Department. Costs have been estimated in advance at $2,000,000 and will be the responsibility of the developer(s). “The Town does not wish to speculate on this acquisition, but only to reimburse its costs in the end. The Town’s primary objective as owner, is to implement its policies and set urban development requirements that will respect the rural character of Sutton. In addition, it will have to ensure that the housing which will be built will remain as affordable as possible,” concludes the Mayor.

To finalize this purchase, the Town will need to use a borrowing by-law and follow the usual public approval process.

Press Release: The Town of Sutton wishes to purchase the Vieux-Verger property to promote affordable housing

Mayor’s Interview – Radio-Canada Estrie TV – 3 novembre 2022

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The Town of Sutton will not go to referendum on the proposed purchase of the Vieux-Verger

27 July 2023

At the June 7 council meeting, the municipal council announced that the project to purchase the Vieux-Verger land had been abandoned, as the owners had decided not to pursue the sale process to the Town, as was their right, following the result of the register and the new delays involved. The Town therefore no longer has any reason to launch a referendum vote on a purchase that can no longer be made.

However, Mayor Robert Benoît reiterated the Town’s motivation for the project and its firm commitment to seeing it through.

“Despite the misinformation that circulated around the project we were presenting, we received a lot of favorable support from citizens, organizations and even potential investors,” he commented. “We were ready for a real public debate and a referendum. The choice won’t present itself, but we remain convinced that this is a good project that should increase the supply of affordable housing. That’s why we’re going to do everything in our power to ensure that the project goes ahead.”

The Town’s actions

To ensure that the site develops as much as possible in line with its vision and orientations, the Town has decided to take several actions to protect the Vieux-Verger site from any real estate development that runs counter to the interests at stake:

Adoption of an interim control resolution (ICR) preventing, during the transition period, the development of any project on the Vieux-Verger property that will not correspond to the Town’s vision (Resolution number 2023-06-245);
Imposition of a reserve for public purposes on land adjacent to Vieux-Verger, on Domaine Mon Louis Str., which is essential for the installation of infrastructures, knowing that the Town is in negotiations with its owner (Resolution number 2023-06-256);
Adoption in the near future of a Programme particulier d’urbanisme (PPU) in the Vieux-Verger sector, which will define requirements for detailed land use, housing density, road layout, infrastructure installation (aqueduct, sewers, electricity), parks and community facilities;

The Town remains in close contact with the owners of the Vieux-Verger property, who generally share the council’s orientations and wish to work in concert. As Director General Pascal Smith reminded us, it is now the Municipality’s duty to accompany the promoters of this construction project, as it does for any other project on the territory.

Listen to the recording of the June 7 council meeting:
-Statements by the mayor (at 29:25) and the general manager (at 1:08:59) on the Vieux-Verger project.

Read in the minutes of the June 7 council meeting (in French only):
–Resolution 2023-06-255 (page 54) – Decision of the municipal council concerning borrowing by-law number 323 (Vieux-Verger) pursuant to sections 553 or 558 of the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities
–Resolution 2023-06-245 (page 45) – Interim control resolution concerning housing issues
–Resolution 2023-06-256 (page 55) – Imposition of a reserve notice for public purposes on part of lot 4 848 095 of the cadastre of Quebec

Results of the register held on the Vieux-Verger Borrowing By-law

1 May 2023

The Town of Sutton held, this Saturday, April 29, 2023, a register open to all citizens qualified to sign who wished to oppose the Borrowing By-law No. 323 allowing the acquisition of the Vieux-Verger land. The number of 492 signatures was required to request that the project be put to a referendum vote. The result of this register shows 784 duly authorized signatures. Taking note of this result and as provided for by law, the municipal council will have to decide at the next Council meeting, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, on the action it intends to take on the project according to the two possibilities available to it:

either abandon the acquisition project
or organize a referendum that will allow the entire population to express itself. The date of the referendum will be announced at the same meeting.

The Town delivered its final arguments in favour of the Vieux-Verger project last night

27 April 2023

More than 100 people attended or followed online the second public meeting held by the City on Wednesday evening to convince citizens of the merits of the proposed acquisition of the Vieux-Verger land. Director general Pascal Smith and Mayor Robert Benoît presented all of their arguments on behalf of the Town, and gave the expected answers to the questions asked at the end of the first meeting on April 12, and in addition to the Frequently Asked Questions -FAQs already posted online.

A demonstration of the project’s legitimacy

In providing full transparency on the financial, technical and conceptual information on the project, the Town also explained that it was not materially possible to answer certain practical questions until the acquisition was made: we will not, for example, launch a new environmental study until we own the land. However, we already know that the land is of great ecological interest. That is why the Town has clearly stated its intention to protect over 70% of the land as a nature reserve in perpetuity, for the benefit of future generations. We owe it to ourselves to preserve such a beautiful green space for the future!

The building portion of the land will therefore represent less than 30% of the land, as presented at the first public meeting on April 12. Traffic will be extremely controlled and there will be no road exits to the Domaine Mont-Louis. Access will be limited to emergency interventions only and to pedestrian and bicycle crossings.

The most important aspect of the discussions with citizens was, of course, the $1.5 million investment that the Town wishes to borrow in order to acquire the Vieux-Verger. It was demonstrated that the financial risk for the Town is minimal, if not non-existent, since this amount will have to be repaid by the buyer(s)/developer(s) who will build housing when the land is resold. As well, they will have to pay for the infrastructure costs (road, water, sewer) estimated at $2 million, whether it is done before or after the land is resold. As explained in slides 41 and 42 of last night’s presentation, the amount to be paid by taxpayers to finance this $1.5M loan represents only $6.70 per $100,000 of property value: if your property is worth $468,000 (average value in Sutton in 2023), the amount to be paid per year will be ($6.70 x 4.68 =) $31.36 for 25 years, or ($31.36 x 25 =) $784 in 25 years! This amount pales in comparison to the benefits of acquiring a piece of land that offers our community the best current opportunity to realize an ambitious affordable housing project, structuring the community and protecting an ecological heritage for future generations.

As expert speakers in the room have stated, there are business models in Quebec that would ensure housing affordability: the Town has committed to forming a joint committee of informed citizens and Town staff to study these models and find the best way to bring this project to fruition in keeping with Council’s vision and the community’s aspirations to provide more affordable housing for young families and local workers in particular.

Please be aware that signing the register means that you are
against the loan application and, therefore, against the project itself,
since this opportunity will probably never arise again.

“Family accessibility, the ecological impact of construction, and the aging population are examples of sustainability issues to be considered in defining development projects to be brought to market. If the municipality does not intervene in the market, it is not the ‘free market’ that will provide this responsibility.” [free translation]
(MRC Brome-Missisquoi, Boite à outils sur l’habitation pour des milieux de vie dynamiques et innovants, 2020)

What happens next?

As required by law, a register will be opened this Saturday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the Council Room of Town Hall, to allow those who sign it to demonstrate their opposition to Borrowing By-law No. 323 allowing the acquisition of the Vieux-Verger property.

The results of the register will be announced that evening on the Town’s website and Facebook page and by newsletter on Sunday, April 30. After that, Council will have to decide what to do with the project at the next City Council meeting on May 3, 2023.

Two options:

If the required 492 signatures are reached, Town Council will have to decide on May 3 whether to abandon the project as a whole or to hold a referendum that will allow the entire population to vote on the Borrowing By-law, and therefore on whether or not to accept the acquisition of the land. If this is the case, the date of the referendum will be announced at the May 3 Council meeting. The Town will also need to verify with the sellers of the land whether they are willing to wait for the referendum or whether they wish to release the land for sale on the open market.
If fewer than 492 signatures are collected through the registry, the by-law process can legally proceed. It should be noted that Council would still have the option to withdraw at this point depending on its assessment of the results of the registry.

Come to the next Town Council meeting on May 3!

We invite you to attend or listen to the next City Council meeting, on May 3, 2023, which will seal the fate of the Vieux-Verger project. This meeting will be preceded, at 7 p.m., by the awarding of a new certification for the Town: the Blue Community certification, which underlines the Municipality’s commitment to the cause of water (information to come)! Another great recognition of the Town of Sutton’s ecological goals!

Link to listen to the video recording of the 1st public meeting of April 12, 2023
Link to listen to the video recording of the 2nd public meeting of April 26, 2023
Link to see the Q&A presentation – public meeting of April 26, 2023

2nd public meeting on the Vieux-Verger next Wednesday, April 26

21 April 2023

After presenting the conceptual plan of the project to nearly 80 people at the first meeting, the Town of Sutton will hold its second public meeting on the Vieux-Verger project on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, from 7 to 9 p.m.

At this new information session, the Town will take questions and comments from citizens before April 19, as well as questions from the floor.

The meeting will be recorded and broadcast live on the Town’s YouTube channel.

Timeline for the acquisition of the Vieux-Verger land

November 4, 2022: Announcement of the proposed acquisition of the Vieux-Verger project
April 5, 2023: Adoption by a majority vote of Loan By-law number 323 entitled “By-law to decree an expense of $1,570,896 and a loan of $1,570,896 for the acquisition of lots 4,848,122, 6,157,855 and 6,157,856, located on Seymour Street”;
April 12, 2023: 1st public information meeting to present the concept plan for the residential project;
April 13, 2023: posting of project information documents online;
April 13-19, 2023: submission of citizen comments/questions regarding the project;
April 17, 2023: publication of the public notice announcing the date of the registry and the number of signatories required, which is 492;
April 26, 2023: 2nd public meeting to answer questions received from citizens on the acquisition of the land and on the project as a whole;
April 29, 2023: opening of the register, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., allowing citizens to signify their opposition to the borrowing by-law, in accordance with the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities. If the required number of signatures is reached, Council will decide by resolution (at the May 3rd meeting) to continue the process by holding a referendum vote or to abandon the acquisition project.

To be consulted:
Press Release November 3, 2022: The Town of Sutton wishes to purchase the Vieux-Verger property to promote affordable housing
Frequently asked questions – FAQ on the acquisition of the Vieux-Verger
Public Notice – Registration of Qualified Voters – Loan By-Law number 323
Loan by-law for the acquisition of the Vieux-Verger: Frequently asked questions – FAQ on loan by-law number 323

Full house at the April 12 public meeting on the Vieux-Verger

13 April 2023

Nearly eighty people came out last night to see and hear the presentation of the Vieux-Verger project. The conceptual plan, prepared by CB Architecte, a firm mandated by the Town, was explained in detail by its two representatives, Marie-Pierre Turbide and Marylou Filiatrault. Mayor Robert Benoît, Director General Pascal Smith and Director of Urban and Land-Use Planning Claude Théberge then answered the various questions raised by a very attentive audience.

“We felt that there was a real sense of listening and positive interest in the room, although there were also legitimate concerns raised,” commented the Mayor. “We wanted to make our vision clear and clarify many points. There has been some misinformation on certain subjects and we wanted everyone to be able to make up their own minds. This is a structuring and unifying project for our community. We are proud of it and we are convinced that the population of Sutton will also be very proud of it.”

In order to make all aspects of the project known, the Town is putting online today a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the project and invites all citizens to send in their comments or questions before April 19, so that we can answer them at the next public meeting on April 26.

1- Link to the recording of the April 12 public meeting on the Vieux-Verger
2- Link to the presentation of the conceptual plan by CB Architecte
3- Link to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the Vieux-Verger project

If you wish to share any comments or questions, please send them BEFORE APRIL 19 by email to [email protected], or post them directly on the Dream Sutton website, in the “Ideas Walls” section.

The Town thanks everyone who attended this meeting.

The next public meeting will be held on April 26 at 7 p.m.!

Public meeting on April 12 to present the Vieux-Verger project

6 April 2023

The Town of Sutton invites all its citizens to a public meeting on Wednesday, April 12, from 7 to 9 p.m., where the concept plan for the Vieux-Verger residential complex will be presented in detail. The meeting will also be recorded and broadcasted live on the Town’s YouTube channel.

Presentation of the residential project

The purpose of this information session is to present to the population the plan that was prepared by the firm CB Architecte in accordance with the Town’s vision to promote the construction of financially accessible housing, to protect the biodiversity of the environment and to improve the village’s network of pedestrian paths. In this sense, the acquisition of the Vieux-Verger property will allow the realization of an innovative, community-based and ecological project in the heart of the village.

The day after this meeting, in order to help analyze the information, the documents presented will be posted online, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related exclusively to the Vieux-Verger project. Citizens will then have until April 19 to send their questions, comments or suggestions to the Town in writing, either by e-mail at [email protected] or directly on the Dream Sutton website.
The Town will review all messages received before making any changes at a second public meeting scheduled for April 26 from 7 to 9 p.m., at which time the Town will respond to questions and comments received from citizens before April 19.

Timeline for the acquisition of the Vieux-Verger land

April 5, 2023: Adoption by a majority vote of Loan By-law number 323 entitled “By-law to decree an expense of $1,570,896 and a loan of $1,570,896 for the acquisition of lots 4,848,122, 6,157,855 and 6,157,856, located on Seymour Street”;
April 12, 2023: 1st public information meeting to present the concept plan for the residential project;
April 13, 2023: posting of project information documents online;
April 13-19, 2023: submission of citizen comments/questions regarding the project
By April 21: public notice of the date of the register and other details of the register. The number of signatories required will be calculated on the morning of or the day before the register is held in order to use up-to-date data, as required by the Municipal Elections and Referendums Act;
April 26, 2023: 2nd public meeting to answer questions received from citizens on the acquisition of the land and on the project as a whole;
April 29, 2023: opening of the register, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., allowing citizens to signify their opposition to the borrowing by-law, in accordance with the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities. If the required number of signatures is reached, Council will decide by resolution (at the May 3rd meeting) to continue the process by holding a referendum vote or to abandon the acquisition project.
To be consulted:
Press Release November 3, 2022: The Town of Sutton wishes to purchase the Vieux-Verger property to promote affordable housing
Loan by-law for the acquisition of the Vieux-Verger: Frequently asked questions – FAQ on loan by-law number 323