City begins land expropriation process to further Peterborough Airport development

The expropriation of homes along Greenwood Road was given the go-ahead Monday after Peterborough city council unanimously supported plans to begin the expropriation process to acquire the lands near the Peterborough airport.

READ MORE: City council examines long-term investments for Peterborough Airport

Of the 10 homes along the roadway, seven homeowners are still holding out and looking to strike a better deal with the city, says Bill Fields, who has owned the property at 250 Greenwood Road since 1991.

Fields says an easement offer from the city was offered a couple years ago in order to cut down some trees on his property, but claims the offer was far too low. Fields is disappointed it has come to the expropriation stages.

“They have avoided the issue and they’ve contacted two of the homeowners on the street and made some verbal offers,” said Fields. “However, they haven’t got us together and they haven’t sat down or put anything in writing. They seem to be just playing scare tactics with us.”

The Peterborough Airport is looking to acquire the properties along Greenwood Road to fully utilize the entire length of its 7,000 foot runway, after they extended the runway from 5,000 feet during a 2009 renovation — which will now allow larger passenger aircrafts, such as Boeing 737s, to land.

The city has had an appraisal done on the remaining properties while Fields and the remaining homeowners have had their own appraisals completed, which suggests the two sides are at different ends in terms of prices. Fields says property value today has dropped significantly because of the degradation of homes the city has already purchased on the street and the constant engine noise.

When Seneca College moved its flight school from Buttonville airport in Markham to the Peterborough Airport in 2014, Fields says the amount of air traffic overhead has soared, and the noise has made it unsafe to live at his property.

“The noise and volume in the area changed dramatically overnight,” said Fields. “It’s just constant engine noise and it puts you out of your mind. Eight hours a day.”

READ MORE: Council approves Peterborough Airport master plan but area neighbours still cry foul

Fields says the remaining homeowners and himself are still interested in negotiating with the city while the expropriation process rolls out, and says they want to strike a deal: “Come to the table with another offer and let’s negotiate to the middle and get it done.”

City solicitor Patricia Lester says a deal can occur anytime during the expropriation process, but couldn’t comment on the negations or where they stand, suggesting real estate negotiations are confidential.

Fields says they are looking to get fair market value for their homes. The Ontario Expropriation Association says the market value of expropriated land is defined as the “amount that the land might be expected to realize if sold in the open market by a willing seller to a willing buyer.”

The expropriation process can be a long and drawn out affair with many steps along the way, and could take at least seven months to complete the transaction.

Compensation for the land is still paid during the expropriation process, and if a deal is not reached in the meantime, it would be up to a judge to determine the amount of money that would be paid to the landowners.