Rectory Road property may have archeological value

By Tyler Waugh

Proponents of a residential development on Rectory Road in Topsail found out at a May 13 public hearing that the project may be subject to an archaeological search if it gets to the development application stage.

The public hearing pertained to a planned amendment to the Municipal Plan associated with 10-14 Rectory Road to rezone a portion of the land to residential low density. One of the written submissions received was from the author of an as yet unpublished book about the history of the Anglican Church in that location, which stated it may be the site of the original rectory.

“We don’t know if that’s the case or not,” the Town’s Director of Planning Corrie Davis noted in a summary of the submissions received. “So one of the things that might come from this, and I think it would be appropriate due diligence, is if we get to a development application stage that there might be a request of the provincial archeology office just to check their records to see if they have any knowledge of the location of that rectory and whether or not it’s considered (an) historic resource or historic artifact on the legislation and whether or not then they have to go and do an archaeological dig. I don’t know what the outcome of that is, but there’s probably something we have to ask.”

That wrinkle was news to the developer, Triton Group Limited.

Commissioner Glenn Barnes said he expects to comment on the matter in his public hearing report. It is anticipated his report will be ready in about a month.

The other written submissions dealt with the impact on Town infrastructure by the new housing. There were no oral submissions from the public during the hearing, though the proponent did speak briefly.

The property in question runs from Topsail Road across from the soccer pitch to Rectory Road near St. John the Evangelist Church and Topsail Elementary and is divided into two zones. The majority of the property is within the Residential Low Density future land use designation. Around 18 per cent of the land is within the Public and Institutional future land use designation.

The property owner requested that council change the future land use designation and zoning to allow residential infill development consistent with the surrounding neighbourhood. Council agreed to initiate the amendment process, which includes the opportunity for a public hearing before a commissioner.