[St. John's] The Official Project Thread

[jeddy1989]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

The wetland issue is definitely a legitimate one, but I still think the development should have went through to the LUAR. The developers could have had some idea how to combat this issue, but we will never find out.

I agree

[Horsell]

I don't profess to be much of an expert on wetlands but I would think that this is such a small area that some engineer worth his/her salt could figure out a way around it.

I think it is more a case of some at "The Club" bending the ear of a few councillors.

What a shame to lose such a development without a decent hearing.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by Horsell

I don't profess to be much of an expert on wetlands but I would think that this is such a small area that some engineer worth his/her salt could figure out a way around it.

I think it is more a case of some at "The Club" bending the ear of a few councillors.

What a shame to lose such a development without a decent hearing.

They may have been looking at it from an environmental point of view.

[ed0797]

For a short time I was quite excited about this idea, a 10 storey building with apartments and not condos would be a huge step in the right direction for the city! Height, density, and non condo development in one build? Of course it couldn't have a chance with council. Whatever the excuse they choose to bring up, every serious proposal like this should have a chance at explaining their idea.

[nando]

The developer knew up front that this was a wetland area they were proposing to build on. Yes, a dense residential building would be great for the area, but development shouldn't supercede environmental concerns. The fact that there wasn't just one or two councilors against this for environmental reasons means that there were some serious concerns. Smart development includes working properly with the surrounding environment... not at all costs. I think the council should be given the benefit of the doubt here. Why string the developer along and force them to spend thousands of dollars on a LUAR when the city's engineers already say the land should be protected?

[PoscStudent]

I'd rather see it built on the other corner where that real estate building and big parking lot is.

[Horsell]

The story in The Telegram tonight indicated that the buildings were rejected because they were too tall, over the 6 story limit. There was no mention of the wetland issue.

Did anyone attend the meeting or watch on Rogers (darn Bell)? What are the facts here?

[jeddy1989]

Originally Posted by Horsell

The story in The Telegram tonight indicated that the buildings were rejected because they were too tall, over the 6 story limit. There was no mention of the wetland issue.

Did anyone attend the meeting or watch on Rogers (darn Bell)? What are the facts here?

Apartment Buildings/Row Housing Proposals Before Council

Row housing and apartment buildings may be coming to Kenmount Terrace off Kenmount Road.

The massive subdivision currently consists of detached housing but an application has the support of the planning and development committee to go to the next stage. The plan, submitted by a numbered company, calls for construction of 28 rowhouses on Lady Smith Drive and three apartment buildings nearby with a total capacity of 181 units.

Meanwhile, It looks like the planning and development committee in St. John's is also giving its blessing to the construction of two large apartment buildings next to Bally Haly golf course on Logy Bay Road.


The ten-storey buildings, to contain a total of 141 units, would go up in what is currently a drainage area. Three members of the committee were against giving approval.


The matters will come up at city council tonight.

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?...44598&latest=1

If height was a concern I'd say it had to do with Bally Haly and them probably not wanting 10 story apartment buildings overlooking their exclusive country club ... which is half understandable too.

[ajcoffey]

I found this on the telegrams site regarding the height issue for the condo proposal that was rejected.


Rezoning request rejected

Council voted down an application by architect Philip Pratt to rezone 8,550 square metres of undeveloped land on a corner of Logy Bay and Selfridge roads to allow the construction of two 10-storey apartment buildings with 141 units. A report from city staff noted the city’s municipal plan supports higher-density development, so the application had merit and warranted consideration, subject to a land-use assessment report. But it didn’t get that far, as council voted against sending the application to the assessment report, effectively quashing it until Pratt resubmits a different plan. At issue for the councillors who opposed it — Art Puddister, Bernard Davis, Wally Collins, Ron Ellsworth, and Mayor Dennis O’Keefe — was the height of the proposed buildings.

“This piece of property is already zoned to accommodate six-storey buildings,” said Puddister. “That is a very mature neighbourhood, going back to 1962, 1963 when all the homes were built. It’s because of its proximity to the park, the residential component, that I’m essentially against us considering 10 storeys.”

The vote on the motion for the application to proceed to the land-use assessment was tied — and therefore defeated — with councillors Dave Lane, Tom Hann, Jonathan Galgay, Sandy Hickman and Bruce Tilley voting in favour.

[J_Murphy]

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Loca...-green-space/1

American landscape planner Randall Arendt told a room full of St. John’s residents Tuesday evening that urban subdivisions are often predictably built as defined by zoning requirements and development bylaws.

“It’s interesting we have this disconnect between what people would want and what is produced,” said Arendt, one of the consultants assisting the City of St. John’s as it develops a Parks and Open Space Master Plan.

“That’s only because the regulations don’t seem to be in sync with what people are telling us they want.”

He’s hoping that the public consultation process now underway in the city will change the way parks and greenways are incorporated into new development proposals.

Arendt and Jim Scott of Trace Planning and Design jointly hosted Tuesday’s meeting at city hall, which served as the first of six public meetings taking place in a little more than a week to get public input for the master plan. Other meetings will focus on the needs of specific wards.

Arendt spoke at length about greenway planning and its ability to add value to neighbourhoods and the homes within them. He spoke of the benefits that come from walking through an area prior to development. Doing so allows one to consider what green features can be creatively incorporated into a neighbourhood or merit protection and what open spaces can possibly become parks.

“Whether you’re building at a density of 40 acre or 60 acre or one unit to the acre, there’s always an opportunity to build a little bit differently so that not all of the buildable land is converted into house lots and streets,” he said.

Looking at St. John’s as it currently exists, Scott and Arendt both praised the Churchill Square area for its mix of trees, small lots, open space, businesses and varied housing options.

Looking at the elements that make Churchill Square a unique neighbourhood, attendees were later asked to consider in groups which of those elements should be deemed as important for a growing city.

Arendt took questions from the crowd of approximately 60 people in attendance. One man asked about the potential to make it easier to wander through the downtown area.

Arendt suggested an inventory of underutilized downtown areas could be created to consider the potential to connect them. He also made mention of fostering new developments that are taller but slimmer so the ground can be used for other purposes, including open space.

A resident of the Kenmount Terrace area spoke of his disappointment with how the area has been developed, citing specifically a lack of consideration given to creating parks and open space. He said the city seems to be OK with letting development in the area continue as it has so long as tax revenue is generated.

Arendt said the process to develop the master plan will likely recommend bylaw ammendments with such concerns in mind.

A meeting for Ward 2 residents is scheduled to take place Thursday at city hall at 7 p.m.

[jeddy1989]

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Loca...-green-space/1

Arendt suggested an inventory of underutilized downtown areas could be created to consider the potential to connect them. He also made mention of fostering new developments that are taller but slimmer so the ground can be used for other purposes, including open space.

YAY for Tall Skinnies!!!!

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

YAY for Tall Skinnies!!!!

Love the tall skinnies!

CBC now have a story on the same topic:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...told-1.2586934

I like how he praises up Churchill Square/Churchill Park area. I've long been saying the city needs more development like this.

[BigRedSpecial]

Letter in the Telegram concerning the proposed Logy Bay Road apartments:

In rejecting this apartment complex, these councillors went against the advice of city planners who concluded that the proposal “has merit and warrants consideration” and that it “would be consistent with the Municipal Plan,” which supports “higher density development in appropriate locations that allow more efficient use of land and municipal infrastructure.”

In the face of sound reasoning, these five councillors based their votes on what appear to be purely esthetic grounds — they simply felt the proposed 10-storey buildings would be too tall.

Doc and company are afraid of heights.

http://www.thetelegram.com/Opinion/L...ousing-needs/1

HA! Love the last line.

Also, at first glance, it seems to me the councillors who voted against it strike me as the "old money" crowd, so to speak; seems to add merit to the Bally Hally influence IMHO.

[ajcoffey]

Noticed council has approved the extension to Scotia Place on Water St.

[PoscStudent]

So Bob Smart is out as City Manager. I'm not sure what kind of impact this will have, if any, on better planning, developments and what not.

[Horsell]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

So Bob Smart is out as City Manager. I'm not sure what kind of impact this will have, if any, on better planning, developments and what not.

It will be interesting to see if any details come out about this in the days to come. Perhaps Mr. Smart just felt like riding off into the sunset to enjoy his retirement years. Perhaps he is being made the fall guy for what has (or has not) been going on in the Bunker.
How Council handles this will be interesting, will there be any change in direction or will it be business as usual with a new person at the top.

[jeddy1989]

interesting!!

Bob Smart's contract not renewed; councillors mum on reasons why

St. John's Mayor Dennis O'Keefe says he was outnumbered at a council vote that saw the city part ways with city manager Bob Smart.

In a private vote just before Monday's public meeting, council rejected a two-year extension to Smart's contract, which expires this month.

Smart has come under fire in the past for his management style, which employees have linked to morale problems — but O'Keefe wanted him to stay at the helm of the city's administration.

“He was one of the best we had," O'Keefe said in an interview.

"He took a lot of initiatives on behalf of the city. He has reorganized the corporate body of city hall."

O'Keefe said he was frustrated that none of the other councillors would give a reason why they wanted Smart out.

"None. I asked several times why and I was greeted by silence," he told CBC News.

Different direction needed: councillor

It's not known which issues prompted councillors, who have received heavy complaints this winter about snowclearing among other matters, to make their decision.

Coun. Jonathan Galgay, who voted against the extension, would say little when asked about Smart's departure.

"All I will say on the matter, personally speaking, I see the city moving in a different direction and I look forward to the recruitment process to begin immediately to get a new city manager," Galgay said.

O'Keefe said it will take two months to recruit a new city manager.

Neil Martin, a deputy city manager and the city clerk, has taken over as interim city manager until a new manager is hired.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...eefe-1.2595222

could be good for rebranding, if they get a really good manager in

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Horsell

It will be interesting to see if any details come out about this in the days to come. Perhaps Mr. Smart just felt like riding off into the sunset to enjoy his retirement years. Perhaps he is being made the fall guy for what has (or has not) been going on in the Bunker.
How Council handles this will be interesting, will there be any change in direction or will it be business as usual with a new person at the top.

He was hired three years ago on a three year contract, council gets the say on whether or not to renew. They voted in favour of not renewing it. All of this after spending 50k to find him.

I'm not sure of the reasoning behind not voting in favour of an extension.

[Horsell]

I don't know Mr. Smart nor do I know his management style however I have to question what has been accomplished in the past three years. There is still no municipal plan, spending has increased, there is yet another level of management at inflated salaries and communication is a joke.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Horsell

I don't know Mr. Smart nor do I know his management style however I have to question what has been accomplished in the past three years. There is still no municipal plan, spending has increased, there is yet another level of management at inflated salaries and communication is a joke.

He seemed very caught up with the reorganization of city departments, which I think was necessary. The old structure was just that, really old, and needed to be changed. Spending has increased, but revenues have also dramatically increased. Again, I think the spending increases were warranted due to the age and lack of infrastructure and the ever growing demand for better services by the residents.

Whether or not the other level of management or the communications dept is worth it, I think is yet to be seen. The city has been heavily criticized in the past for poor management, so I think some change was needed.