Posted Jul 19, 2011, 1:08 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Priestville, Nova Scotia
Posts: 38
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Quote:
Four-storey seniors' complex approved
Published on July 18, 2011
Jennifer Vardy Little
NEW GLASGOW - A new development that attracted significant interest from adjacent homeowners in New Glasgow has been given the go ahead, provided a legal review of the agreement passes legal review.
First Mutual Properties wants to build a new, state of the art, seniors' apartment complex on the corner of East River Road and Summer Street. The four-storey structure would see approximately 33 enhanced senior's apartments on the upper floors and 10,500 feet of commercial or retail space on the first floor.
Dave Wallace with First Mutual Properties said in the public hearing prior to Monday's New Glasgow council meeting that the company already owned five properties in the area that would be used for the construction of the facility, but said that three of the properties would have to be rezoned from residential to commercial use.
"This would be a first for New Glasgow, in terms of size and design," Wallace said, adding that the finished project is estimated to cost $5 million.
"It truly is a win-win situation for the Town of New Glasgow and FMP."
However, because the property would not provide enough frontage, the usual 30-foot side exposure would not be possible. Instead, FMP proposed constructing a seven-foot high fence on the south side of the property, with landscaping just inside the fence. Wallace indicated the company wanted to build the fence directly on the property line, but adjacent homeowner Milton Bryant objected to that, pointing out that normally, fences cannot be constructed directly on the property line and must instead be two feet in on the builders' property.
''What happens if they need to paint it or do work on it? Are they going to pay me for access?" he asked.
New Glasgow council agreed to put a requirement in the agreement that would require the developer to place the fence two feet in on its own property.
Other concerns raised included worries about traffic on Summer Street - neighbours say that it's being used as a shortcut and expressed concerns about speeding - and questions about whether the sewer lines in the area could handle an increase in capacity.
Art Nicholson, who owns property in the area, says his basement has flooded three times over the past few years.
"What will this mean to the sewer on Summer Street? In my opinion, it's been too small for too many years, if you put this property in too, what's that going to do to it?" he asked.
Town engineer Earl MacKenzie says part of the agreement will see an upgrade to the sanitary sewer installed on Summer Street, as well as a new storm sewer. Part of the problem in the area in the past, he said, is the fact that the storm and sanitary sewers were not separated; any time there was an influx of water to the storm sewer from nearby catch basins, it would result in flooding. He believes separating the two systems would solve the issue.
Town lawyer Frank DeMont, who first received a copy of the agreement mid-afternoon Monday, asked for time to review the documents before the final approval was given, citing some unspecified "irregularities" in the agreement. Council approved the agreement and also approved the closure of Jarvis Street to allow the project to proceed, pending the solicitor's report on the matter.
It's anticipated that construction on the project will begin in spring 2012.
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http://www.ngnews.ca/News/Local/2011...lex-approved/1
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