Public to have say on apartment building slated for CBS Town Hall area
By Craig Westcott/September 30, 2022
There’s a new business coming to the Gateway Park atop Legion Road, but council is not identifying it just yet.
Whatever it is, it’s going to need some 38 parking spaces.
That’s the number council approved last week during its public meeting.
The structure, described as an office building, will be located at Lot 7 Graham Mifflin Drive.
“Graham Mifflin Drive is in the Gateway development and this is a building we’re hoping to see go there in the not-too-distant future,” said planning committee chairman Rex Hillier.
In other development news:
Council has approved the terms of reference for a Land Use Impact Assessment (LUIA) for a subdivision proposed for Kelligrews. The subdivision, if approved, will be located across the street from Hickey’s Funeral Home in the area between Butlers Road South and Taylors Lane. Hillier said the Terms of Reference include an additional requirement that the study look at the traffic impacts of the subdivision having direct access to Route 60.
“Hillier reminded his colleagues the proposed development has already attracted some “early concerns” from people living in the area. A previous council, he noted, made it a requirement that an LUIA be conducted before approving the application. “And this council has gone ahead and said yes, this should be one of the conditions,” he said.
“I want to emphasize, that this will give the public in the area an opportunity to be able to put forward some of their concerns,” added councillor-at-large Paul Connors. “And we’ve heard quite a few of them and have spoken to a number of residents, but this will give an opportunity for them to put information forward as well.”
Mayor Darrin Bent said council welcomes the public commentary part of the LUIA process.
Professional planner Stephen Jewczyk will serve as the commissioner for a public hearing and report on an application to develop a subdivision at 1621-1627 Conception Bay Highway in Seal Cove. In order to proceed, the development needs an amendment to the Town’s municipal plan and development regulations. It will be Jewczyk’s job to advise council on whether it should agree to that, or not. The cost for the process is borne by the developer.
“This is a rezoning project we’ve been working our way through in Seal Cove, actually across the street from the College of the North Atlantic,” Hillier said. “We’re to the point now of appointing an independent commissioner to hold a public hearing so that the local residents can have further input into the process.”
The public hearing is set for 7 p.m. on November 2 via the Zoom online meeting platform. Written submissions can also be made prior to that date.
The Town will undertake public consultations on a proposed apartment building for 12-16 Rideouts Road and Braeside Lane.
In order for it to proceed, the applicant would have to get approval from council to rezone the area from Residential Medium Density to Residential Multiple Units. Council will only go ahead with the public consultation if the developer pays the associated fees and a deposit.
“Your worship, this is the first time we’ve seen this proposal here,” Hillier said. “We have a proponent interested in developing a multi-unit building on that piece of property and we’re sending it out, basically, to the public for reaction.”
Mayor Bent pointed out the location is across the road from the Town Hall.
“When we say multi-unit, we’re talking multi-storey multi-unit?” asked councillor Connors.
“Is it fair to call it an apartment building?” Bent added.
“Residential Medium Density (zoning) covers a minimum of 10 units, I believe,” Hillier said. “So yes, this will be a significant building.”
Councillor-at-large Joshua Barrett said he is really interested in hearing what the public has to say about the proposal.
“Because there is a lot of potential for this type of development here and we hear time and time again the need for these types of units, so I’m interested in seeing where this goes,” he said.