CommunityCouncilTop Story

Paradise okays apartments, despite opposition of residents

By Mark Squibb

Paradise council this week approved construction of a new seniors complex near the Karwood Drive and Kenmount Road roundabout despite concerns raised by residents.

The application was for a 1.08-hectare development that would include a total of 40 units contained in four, two-storey, stacked townhouses under single ownership. The first floors of the buildings, totalling 20 units, would be designed for seniors with mobility challenges.

The applicant, Calvary Baptist Church, had already secured funding from Newfoundland and Labrador Housing, but also sought permission from council to build a church on the property should the seniors complex not be approved.

The Town received 16 written submissions following publication of the discretionary notice — one was in support of the proposal, one was uncertain, two had questions, and 12 objected, the majority of which cited concerns about increased traffic.

Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street said that a traffic analysis had been conducted both by the developer and by the Town, and that both studies determined the proposed development would have a minimal impact on traffic and the functionality of the roundabout.

The planning committee recommended that council approve all three motions related to the application.

The first was to rezone the land from commercial to residential medium density.

Councillor Clen Carew briefly spoke to that motion.

“Council had refused what could be considered a very similar cluster development on Sparklin Boulevard a number of weeks ago,” noted Carew. “Like this application, it also required a zoning change. But for me, personally, that’s where the similarities ended on these two particular cluster developments. The development’s funding under the provincial program is contingent on the parameter that the funded units, 20 in total, are to be exclusively for affordable seniors living, and that at least 10 percent are fully accessible units.”

Carew also cited the traffic studies, and referenced council’s “moral responsibility — where conditions allow — to advocate and help facilitate the opportunity for seniors to have an affordable way to age.”

The next motion was to approve the application for the cluster development and place of worship, with Street noting that one or the other, but not both, would be built.

Councillor Patrick Martin voiced his support for the development, citing the low impact on traffic.

Councillor Larry Vaters also voiced his support for this motion.

“My vote on this item tonight is essentially based on the premise of one word, that being humanity,” said Vaters. “We are one people, one community, and from the perspective of housing, I feel we, and society in general, all have a responsibility to the inherent dignity and wellbeing of the most vulnerable groups and those in the greatest needs of housing.”

Vaters, however, did not vote in favour of the third and final motion, to grant parking relief request for 53 parking spaces instead of the required 60.

Vaters cited concerns with snow clearing as his reason for voting against the motion. Vaters was the lone councillor to vote against the parking relief.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *