Chester village residents worry new density could worsen water issues

Some Chester residents are concerned that policy changes to add density in the South Shore community could hurt local water supply, but the municipality says the adjustments are being made "with caution."

The Municipality of Chester is considering changes to the land-use bylaw and secondary planning strategy for the Village of Chester, which haven't been overhauled in 20 years.

The new rules would allow accessory dwellings, also known as backyard suites, in all residential zones in the village area that fit certain criteria. Those include restrictions on lot coverage and property-line setbacks.

Most people in Chester have dug wells, and resident Peggy Wilson said she's worried about what new units in the small village core could mean for the water table.

"With increased density, our water supply — which is precarious in the summer, to say the least — could be jeopardized," Wilson said.

"You can want density, but if you don't have infrastructure in place, then it's a pretty tricky thing."

Dry wells in the summer have been an issue for some locals in recent years, as with other areas around the province.

A 2017 groundwater assessment study for the village by engineering firm CBCL said the shortages experienced by many of the roughly 990 well owners in the village show that water resources are stressed in some parts of the community, "and that the potential for further development or increased density within existing dwellings is limited."

Land in Chester is also expensive, with most village core lots assessed from $500,000 to around $1 million, and Wilson said any new housing units created under the changes wouldn't be affordable. She's also worried trees would be removed to build the homes, hurting the village's charm and draw as a TV and film location.

Wilson said this density isn't needed to help tackle the housing crisis because larger residential developments are proposed nearby, and the plans also suggest zoning areas outside the village core for three or four units on a lot plus accessory dwellings.

"The area is definitely doing its part," she said.

Chester's senior municipal planner, Garth Sturtevant, said he's heard concerns but the changes aren't as substantial as some people think.

Most core village lots can have duplexes on them now, so they will go from allowing two units to three under the new plan.

He also said many lots won't be able to fit backyard suites at all, because the plan allows up to 2,600 square feet of coverage that must be divided between a main building and accessory dwelling.