Drainage concerns for proposed townhouse build on Rebstock Road
May 27, 2025 at 4:41 AM
There’s plenty of prime lakefront property in Fort Erie, but not all of it is wanted.
And residents of Rebstock Road fear a proposed townhouse development, should it be approved, will make an already bad drainage problem worse.
“It’s a standing joke in the neighbourhood that it’s lakefront property when it rains,” said Edward Golubienko, one of several area residents who voiced their opposition to a proposed eight-unit townhouse development for the south side of Rebstock during a public meeting held May 26.
Other concerns included the density and the fact the proposal doesn’t follow a secondary plan that got neighbourhood buy-in and was only finalized in the fall of 2023.
There is already plenty of development planned for the area, and residents implored the municipality to consider all the other development likely to come.
Councillors also voiced their concerns with the proposal.
“I’m very concerned that we’re going to have a major problem down the road,” said Councillor Ann-Marie Noyes about the potential worsening of the drainage issue.
She also said residents will lose faith in the secondary plan process if a development that goes against that plan gets approved so soon after it’s finalized.
Speaking on behalf of owner Jeff Davis, Quartek Group’s Matthew Trendota said the plan would be to have a catch basin that would collect water from the property that would be pumped up to the town’s storm sewer system.
The property slopes down at the back to the rear of properties on Elizabeth Road raising questions about easements with those properties. But Davis said the catch basin and pump plan would negate those requirements.
“It’s unlikely that an easement to the south would be required,” he said.
The plan, instead would be to “just lift any stormwater uphill through pumps and then get it into the storm sewer system.”
But such a system would require an agreement among the eight new homeowners, which councillors questioned.
Mayor Wayne Redekop said it could work if there was an agreement between two property owners, he wasn’t sure it’d work with as many as eight. Additionally, he worried about accessibility to the rear yards should something go wrong.
Jordan Frost, acting director of infrastructure services, acknowledged it could be an issue.
“There are significant concerns about the operation and maintenance of a system like that,” he said.
No decisions were made at the meeting. Staff will review the comments made by the public and councillors as they continue to prepare a recommendation report.
Bridgeburg plan will seek to balance growth with environment
Fort Erie gets on board with paddle boards at Bay Beach
Reconstruction of Fort Erie tennis courts to go ahead
About The Author
Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards is a longtime Niagara community journalist who has covered a variety of beats, including business, agriculture, the wine industry and politics. When not writing, there's a good chance he can be found at a baseball diamond or curling rink.
Stay Informed