The HRM representative for Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley was hearing about the approval decision by Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr from media. A release on Feb. 16 from the province said the decision was made based on the recommendation of the Executive Panel on Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The area covers about 12 hectares (30 acres) at the end of Ingram Drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deagle Gammon said the decision has left her upset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt’s just an absence of an understanding about what is a community,\u201d she said in an interview with The Laker News. \u201cIt\u2019s an absence of the understanding about the lack of infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo put three apartment buildings, at the top of a dead-end street, with no transit, no secondary access, no wastewater service so it another on site septic system isn\u2019t the right move.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n [adrotate banner=”31″]<\/p>\n\n\n\n [adrotate banner=”188″]<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Nov. 2022, HRM Regional council\u2014and North West Community council before it\u2014rejected the proposal because it was not the proper fit for the site, with no infrastructure to support it such as transit and access to Cobequid Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CN Rail had denied the request for access to be over their rail line from the site, and at regional council in Nov. 2022 the vote was tied for an amendment from the developer, thus nullifying the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many in the community\u2014Fall River subdivision who live nearby and will be most impacted\u2014had worried that the development would get a rubber stamp and green light of approval when the provincial government created the Housing Panel for the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deagle Gammon said the traffic study done for the project was interesting. She also noted there was egress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt’s one way in and one way out of Fall River Village itself,\u201d said Deagle Gammon. \u201cWe do have the access off Fall River Road and then access off from Winley onto the Windsor Junction Road. But neither one of those can really have the capacity in the community’s understanding to be able to take all of the vehicle traffic that’s going to come from this because there’s no transit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said this shows again there\u2019s no infrastructure to be able to support such a project. The decision also left her wondering how it remains an Opportunity Site because there\u2019s no exit over the CN rail line because CN said no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was the whole reason it was an opportunity site,\u201d she said. \u201cAs soon as that option is gone, then it should not have been considered an Opportunity Site.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n [adrotate banner=”206″]<\/p>\n\n\n\n [adrotate banner=”192″]<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Deagle Gammon said both Community Council and Regional Council both said this is not the right development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe said it’s not the right development,\u201d said Deagle Gammon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, the community does think that something should be developed there. Absolutely, but the three apartment buildings, three stories, 120 units, that’s not the right fit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said it comes down to not having any of the needed infrastructure to support this kind of development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt will mean 120-plus cars on the road in the subdivisions since there\u2019s no transit in the area,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deagle Gammon was asked that without wastewater that will mean the development will require on-site septic. However, she had no word on what that would look like. Residents have voiced concerns on other developments for impacting nearby lakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She said her nose was also ruffled with the fact there was no consultation from the provincial housing panel to the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere was no reach out to me as a local councillor,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat do they base their decision on? It hasn’t been a decision that’s based on any kind of community engagement or knowledge of the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe worked really hard to make sure that there was an understanding about why this wasn’t the right development. Obviously, that’s not something that the province listens to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n ADVERTISEMENT:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n [adrotate banner=”71″]<\/p>\n\n\n\n [adrotate banner=”103″]<\/p>\n\n\n\n The release said the developer, Perry Lake Developments, will now work with municipal planning and development staff to move the project forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Screenshot-2024-02-16-at-14-28-11-Maps-of-special-planning-areas.pdf.png\")