Big apartment building proposed for Kitty Ade’s Turn area

By Craig Westcott/March 10, 2023

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for CBS councillor Rex Hillier’s planning and development committee with its members moving ahead several major items for council’s consideration Tuesday, including a proposed major apartment complex near Kitty Ade’s Turn in Long Pond.

Hillier moved that council approve the terms of reference for a Land Use Impact Assessment Report on the proposed rezoning that will be needed for the multi-storey apartment building to proceed at 12-16 Rideout’s Road.

“This is another project that we’ve been working our way through with a developer,” Hillier said. “Basically, we’re looking to rezone a property to accommodate the development of a rather large apartment facility with up to 60 plus apartments in the area of Kitty Ade’s Turn, Rideout’s Road and Braeside Place.”

Hillier said the terms of reference include requiring the proponent to complete studies on sewer capacity, flood risk, storm water discharge, traffic impact, noise and other issues. “So it’s a rather large document that the proponent will be undertaking and I guess at some point, when it’s completed, we’ll be using it for our decision making process as to whether or not this will go to another level,”

Mayor Darrin Bent said there will be lot of questions answered in the report that council will need to make a decision. “And a lot of those questions are questions that residents in the area will be asking as well,” he allowed. 

In other development news:

Council has approved the appointment of veteran planner Stephan B. Jewczyk to act as a commissioner to hold a public meeting and prepare a report on a proposed subdivision at 240 – 258 Anchorage Road in Long Pond.

Hillier said the public hearing, to be held at the Town Hall, will only proceed if the Town receives written submissions regarding the project. 

A public information session on the project held earlier this past winter drew a crowd of residents from the area who raised a number of concerns, including the possibility of flooding. The project requires an amendment to the Town’s Municipal Plan before it can proceed.

“We’ve asked for and received written reports (from the proponent) followed up by a resident information session,” Hillier noted. “The Province has had a look at the proposal and has no concerns. And having taken into account the comments of residents and the Province we’re now bringing this forward for a vote. So really what we’re doing is recommending acceptance of the amendments and… that a public meeting be held by an independent commissioner on April 12.”

Bent said that meeting will give anyone with concerns the opportunity to raise them.

Council has deferred an application for a 231.9 square metre accessory building at 193 Seal Cove Road pending completion of flood plain mapping around Billy Brook.

“We know that there has been some flooding in that area over time,” Hillier said. “And we want to have a look at it before we approve any development in that area.”

And council has adopted a storm water management plan for Lawrence Pond.

“This is a study we have undertaken of the drainage basin for the Upper Gullies River, which drains out of Lawrence Pond,” Hillier said. “It looks at how much water is carried in the basin, and how much water is carried in the river. There are 68 properties that this river passes as it goes to Conception Bay, so it looks at the impact the water has on those properties, it looks at the culverts, culvert sizes and so on, and of course provides recommendations. Once we accept this, this will be a management plan that we’ll be following as we move forward.”

Mayor Bent noted the report contains three major recommendations regarding upgrades to culverts and other actions.