By Mark Squibb
In line with the City’s recent push for greater housing density, including the recent launch of a number of initiatives under the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund, council last week approved an application by Nickel Properties Inc., to develop a 24-unit row dwelling development at 43 Greenwood Crescent.
It will consist of six buildings, comprising both single-storey and two-storey units.
Staff published discretionary use notices and circulated letters to over 250 area residents, in addition to the Member of Parliament, two MHAs, and the Mount Pearl-Paradise Chamber of Commerce and received five written submissions. The City also held a public briefing session which 14 people attended.
Complaints raised by residents, in summary, included fears about increased traffic and noise, a potential negative impact on property values, and a loss of mature trees. Residents also posed questions about the development’s ownership model.
With those concerns noted, planning committee staff recommended the application for approval.
That approval, however, will be subject to a number of conditions — ten, all told.
The St. John’s Regional Fire Department, the provincial government’s Water Resources Management Division, and the City’s inspection, finance, and planning divisions will all need to sign off on the project.
The developer will also have to submit both a condominium agreement and a landscaping plan that illustrates the preservation of existing mature trees, and agree to construct a permanent privacy fence, in addition to other conditions.
Councillor Bill Antle said staff and council have reviewed the application for “many, many hours,” and noted there were 43 requirements that had to be met before the committee recommended approval.
“I talk to residents my age who want to move out of their homes, who are looking for another place to live, who are looking to downsize, but there’s no place to live” said Antle. “People want to move, they want to sell their homes and let younger people move in. So, that was one of the things we had to consider when we looked at Greenwood Crescent.”
Antle touched briefly on some of the conditions that will need to be met following council’s approval of the project, including the preservation of mature trees.
“I think this is going to be a good development for the neighborhood,” said Antle. “It’s needed in this city. People are looking for these types of homes. Each one of us councillors have been talking to people who want to move… Those trees can stay as long as they don’t affect the building. Our inspectors will go over there and mark the trees and make sure they’re safe.”
Councillor Jim Locke noted several other intensification projects the City has undertaken over the years, and said similar complaints were made at the start of those projects. Since construction, however, he said he has not received any complaints from residents.
“I know I and my council colleagues often say, is it something that we would accept in our own backyard, and in this case I would happily welcome this development in my neighbourhood,” said Locke. “It’s fit, it’s not going to be a heavy traffic generator given the potential clients here (seniors). There’s going to be a condominium agreement in place. And as we said under the Housing Accelerator Fund, we need intensification to be sustainable in this city.”
Locke added that just because he was voting in favour of the development does not mean he did not listen to residents' concerns.
“Sometimes, in the past, residents have said, ‘Well, you didn’t listen to us,’” said Locke. “Well, I did listen, but I just arrived at a decision that was contrary to what you would have liked.”
Councillors Isabelle Fry, Mark Rice, Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley, and Mayor Dave Aker echoed comments made by both Antle and Locke.
“This is in keeping with allowing this city to grow,” said Aker. “We have a lot of green space in this City — we’ll have less after this, but I think this is going to be a nice place for people to live.”
Council approved the project unanimously, excepting that councillor Chelsea Lane was not present at the meeting.
The project will receive funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund, though an exact amount was not specified.
Meanwhile, council also approved Phase 7 of the ongoing Moffat Road Subdivision project.
This will be the final phase of the project. It will see the construction of 63 new, single-family, detached homes. A number of the homes will include apartments.
The subdivision encompasses Lawn Point Avenue, Moffatt Road, LaSalle Drive, Iron Springs Road, and St. Lawrence Place.
