ANTIGONISH: Following an hour-long public hearing on May 21, the Town of Antigonish has approved a development agreement for 56 Highland Drive.
During their regular, monthly council meeting, council members passed the second reading of the development agreement with Harbour Enterprises – John Bain provided the recommendations.
The developer, who was present at the meeting, plans on removing the existing building on the property, and rebuilding an apartment building that will feature six, accessible one-bedroom units and four two-bedrooms units.
Historically, the existing dwelling was used as university housing, as it was a seven-bedroom unit, less than a kilometre from the edge of StFX’s campus.
In a planning advisory meeting on April 8, it was recommended that a motion be included into the staff report, for a six-foot fence to be installed around the property line, to block vehicle headlights from shining into neighbouring houses.
Speaking on the issue of storm water, Bain explained that a physical plan was included in the report.
“Rather than saying ‘we will take care of it,’” he said, noting the director of public works was requiring it with the report. “Ken won this one.”
During the public meeting, council heard from a handful of residents who live in the neighbouring houses, who aired their concerns against the development, which included drainage issues, pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the residential area, and asbestos issues with the demolition of the existing dwelling.
Following the meeting, Mayor Laurie Boucher told reporters, she understands people’s concerns from transitioning a single unit dwelling into a multi-unit apartment building with 10 units.
Through the development agreement, she indicated the town’s planner, and the planning advisory committee took into consideration and mitigated all of the concerns raised before council.
“Traffic, well that’s something that we should look at as a town anyway. We don’t think that putting this development there will increase that, but we will take a look at the traffic in that area and make it safer for everybody,” Mayor Boucher said. “Another concern was water on the lot, we’ve were ensured the developer is taking care of that, and the water on that specific lot will be handled better than it ever has before.”
Speaking on the need of a public hearing, the mayor advised anytime the town enters into a development agreement with a developer, there is a mandatory requirement of a public hearing.
Recognizing a local housing crisis, council passed the development agreement motion unanimously.
“We’re pleased to be able to approve it tonight.”