WATERLOO - The City of Waterloo approved a plan to guide development of what could be the last suburb built in the city, providing homes for more than 6,000 people.

On Monday, councillors unanimously approved a district plan and environmental assessment for Beaver Creek Meadows.

Coun. Angela Vieth said she was struggling to imagine the mostly rural area redeveloped into a residential community.

"It's really hard to get my head around that right now," Vieth said.

The land is located in the northwest corner of the city. Conservation Drive and Beaver Creek Road form the main intersection of the 156-hectare parcel in the plan.

It's one of the last major undeveloped plots of land in the city.

Staff and consultants aimed for a community with high quality urban design and access to local natural features.

"We're trying to create compact, walkable, built form," said consultant Dan Leeming.

In total, seven neighbourhoods are planned in Beaver Creak Meadows, with three different types of residential development permitted.

They include two types of low density residential, which make up the majority of permitted development and would allow single-detached homes, townhouses and low-rise apartments in select areas.

Mixed use medium residential makes up 15 per cent of the area and is permitted along Conservation Drive. Townhouses and apartment buildings up to six storeys could be built.

There is some commercial area planned in the higher density areas.

Full build-out to accommodate 7, 200 people would involve Creekside Church vacating its property. Leeming said that's unlikely and estimated that about 6,700 people is more likely.

Local resident Kevin Thomason said he was disappointed that such density - estimated up to 58 people and jobs per hectare - is proposed in an area with sensitive environmental features.

"I doubt many people envisioned that so many people would be packed into such a small area," he said. "This is the sort of density most people would expect in a core area or area with significant road and public transit infrastructure."

The area is home to Regional Environmentally Sensitive Policy Areas, the Laurel Creek Headwaters Environmentally Sensitive Landscape and Provincially Significant Wetlands.

About 20 per cent of the area is natural heritage area.

Those special areas were investigated and a plan approved for protection in 2013 as part of the North Waterloo Scoped Subwatershed study. It identified sensitive environmental features and recommended buffers, which were incorporated into the creation of the district plan.

Some of the landowners in the area to be developed either spoke, or had agents speak on their behalf, in support of the guidelines Monday.

Ian Cook, who owns about 28 hectares on the north side of Conservation Drive at Beaver Creek Road in partnership with Mattamy Homes, supported the city's plan.

"I believe tonight's proposals are an appropriate balance of the interests of the landowners, the city and the greater community at large," he said.

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The environmental assessment for Beaver Creek Meadows and some surrounding area investigated traffic and the pumping station, sewer and stormwater infrastructure that will be necessary to support anticipated development.

It's estimated that work will cost the city more than $24 million.

Coun. Diane Freeman urged staff to have traffic-calming measures planned for the neighbourhood before any building takes place. She said in other neighbourhoods the city didn't do and they had to go back and retrofit.

"Let's make sure we don't miss this one," she said.

Stantec vice-president of community development Martin Jones said some traffic calming measures such as pavement markings and narrowing at intersections are planned. Stantec prepared the assessment.

Scott Nevin, director of growth management, said any development application in the area will require a traffic management plan when it's submitted.

Both Beaver Creek Road and Conservation Drive will be reconstructed with curbs and gutters, one lane in each direction, on-street bike lanes, sidewalk and multi-use trail.

A roundabout will be installed at Beaver Creek Road and Conservation Drive.

Amphibian and reptile crossings will be installed on Conservation Drive.

The city will need to take some land from property owners in the area as part of the roadwork, which includes realigning Conservation Drive slightly north at the intersection with Erbsville Road.

With the plans approved, the environmental assessment will now be posted publicly for 30 days for comment before taking effect.

The district plan is now policy with last night's approval.

To progress, landowners will have to receive staging of development permission from the city to bring forward their plans of subdivision and then submit development plans that fulfil the requirements of the district plan.

Coun. Bob Mavin was absent from the vote.