Housing Grows in Norwich Township

The Norwich Gazette

By Cole Walker - Staff Writer 
Wednesday August 23, 2006

If one were to drive through much of Norwich, one might notice the many lots that are preparing for construction of new subdivisions or are currently under way. If only you could also see the number of plans that are also being put in place at the county office. 
There are six different planned subdivisions that are to go up in the coming years within the township. Three will be in Norwich and one each in Burgessville, Otterville and Springford. There are 364 lots planned in the township according to the plans submitted to the County of Oxford’s planning division. 
Norwich will get 320 of those lots divided amongst three different subdivisions.  
Norwich Pines located in the Northeast sector of Norwich is planning to have 132 single-family lots according to Steve Couture, building planner for the township of Norwich at the Oxford County office.  
There will be a smaller subdivision at the bottom of Cayley Street, which will seek the building of 76 total lots with the first phase now under construction by the Activa Group. 
The third is one that has been in the works for ten years. Norwich Meadows is now moving along and is planned for 112 single-family lots. 
Norwich now has housing coming in the hundreds and will be growing in the coming years. However, along with the new residential developments could come the need for industrial expansion - something Couture passes along to the new BR+E project team that will be surveying the economic situation within the township.  
“The industrial development in Norwich will be the mandate of the BR+E team,” said Couture, who also noted that he hopes to work closely with the group. Right now; however, Couture also said there is no public land zoned for industrial usage in the village. Any industrial developments will have to be purchased from the private sector. 
As Norwich is growing so too will Burgessville, Springford and Otterville with their planned subdivisions. Burgessville as previously reported is just past the approval stage from township council to have 19 lots called Burgess Manor off Snyder Street.  
Otterville’s subdivision was brought together by the Zimmer family and has just recently been approved but is awaiting clearance to surpass the planning stages. The plans are for 16 single family lots to be constructed just off the downtown portion of the hamlet. 
Finally there is Springford which will be growing with the building of a nine-lot subdivision at the end of Water Street. The plans are still pending approval according to Couture. 
While the plans may now ready for 364 lots in the township it is also noted that this can change on an ongoing basis.