PORT HAWKESBURY: The Eastern District Planning Commission (EDPC) says it is making progress on dangerous and unsightly premises in the town.
During the regular monthly meeting on May 10, EDPC Director John Bain updated Port Hawkesbury Town Council about six files.
In regards to a complaint about a property on Hiram Street, Bain said the vehicles have been removed.
“It took two orders to do that,” he told council. “After the first order, the vehicles were removed, but then they were returned to the property and so a second order was issued and the vehicles were moved.”
Another closed file involves a second property on Granville Street, Bain said.
“The stairs on the side of the building have been barricaded and there’s no access to that side of the building anymore,” he reported.
Bain said the file on another property on Granville Street was closed in January.
“One of the vehicles was removed, and the other vehicle is still there being repaired, but the file was closed,” he noted.
Among the files still open is another property on Granville Street, said Bain.
“We were on the property within the last couple of weeks, and we’ve indicated what needs to be cleaned up and the intent is to return to the property this week to determine progress,” he said. “No orders were issued.”
In his last update to council, Bain said the owners of the Causeway Shopping Centre had engaged an engineer.
“We had that engineer’s report, we issued a building permit for the repairs Jan. 12 but the repairs were weather-dependent, I suppose, and now that the weather is better, and hopefully it will remain better, they’re going to be starting the work on those repairs,” he stated.
As for Breton Apartments, Bain said orders were issued.
“We did receive some level of compliance,” he said. “The loose panels were repaired; new boarding was put up in places. There were places where the buildings were not secured, the buildings are now secured. There was loose and hanging wires, those were removed. The debris was cleaned up around the building. There is still outstanding work to be done; there’s broken up asphalt that has to be cleaned up for the parking areas. We had asked for an engineer’s report on the brick; the cladding on those buildings… They’re going to get that report to us within the next few weeks.”
Bain added that the EDPC continues to work on the three open files.