Cumberland municipal council has passed second reading of an amendment to the land-use bylaw to rezone several Springhill properties that would clear the way for a housing development between Mechanic, Elm and Crossin streets.
A public hearing was held during Wednesday’s meeting of Cumberland municipal council.
Clayton Developments Limited, on behalf of Shaw Rural Housing Limited and Nova Scotia Housing and Municipal Affairs, has applied to rezone the subject properties to enable to the development of a high-density, large-scale housing project, through development agreement. The subject property consists of 15 properties totalling approximately 7.1 acres acquired by the owners for the exclusive purpose of developing housing for Springhill.
The project proposes the development of 107 units of varying sizes as the proponent is looking to develop a mix of single unit dwellings, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes.
The proponent has proposed to have gravel interior roads and pedestrian paths, paving small sections at the property exit and entrance points.
Pedestrian paths will provide connectivity to buildings.
Considering the proposed project’s proximity to all amenities and a walkable distance from the downtown core, this housing development project holds a lot of value in creating new housing stock and increasing the diversity of housing options.
Council approves second reading of land-use bylaw amendment for Burns Drive project
Cumberland municipal council has approved second reading of an application to amend the land-use bylaw to permit the development of medical offices on Burns Drive, Upper Nappan.
The amendment would see the 10-acre property rezoned from Highway Commercial to General Commercial, adding medical offices as a permitted use.
A public hearing was held during council’s September meeting on Wednesday.
The applicant is looking to develop a primary health-care clinic, which falls under the land use of medical offices.
Municipal council approves first reading of bylaw change for small campground in Wards Brook
Cumberland municipal council has passed a motion approving first reading of an amendment to the land-use bylaw to rezone 19 McCully Ln, Wards Brook from Agricultural to Commercial Recreation.
A public hearing will be scheduled prior to second reading.
The rezoning will permit the development of a small campground on one of the parcels of land.
Currently, the property is assigned two zones, the north portion of the parcel is zoned Country Residential while the waterside portion (south) of the parcel is zoned Agriculture.
The Property Owners are looking to rezone the portion of the property zoned Agriculture (AG) and maintain the Country Residential zoning on the north portion of the parcel as the Country Residential portion of the parcel would not need to be rezoned.
The subject property is approximately 10 acres, while the north portion of the parcel is used for residential purposes, there is an approximate 8.5 acres left to be used for other purposes.
Due to soil conditions, the remaining 8.5 acres of land was zoned agriculture with the intention of using the land as reserve farmlands. The Property owners does not intend to use the land for agricultural purposes, instead they would like to use this portion of the land to develop a small campground.
Council passes first reading of land-use proposal for a warehouse in South Pugwash
Council passed a motion to approve first reading of an amendment to the land-use bylaw to rezone 11339 Highway 6 South Pugwash from Agriculture to Rural Industrial.
A public hearing will be scheduled prior to second reading.
The property is approximately 7.4 acres and zoned Agriculture (AG) but is not actively used for agriculture purposes. The property owner has expressed that they are not interested in using the lands for agricultural purposes in the future.
The property owner would like to use the land as auxiliary storage space for his garage door installation company. The proposed warehouse would be exclusively for the storage of overhead doors, no business transactions would be taking place on the property. Currently the agricultural zone does not permit the development of a warehouse.
Council passes motion approving second reading of Commercial Development Districts
Council has passed a motion to approve second reading of the bylaw to amend the Municipal Planning Strategy creating policy to establish Commercial Development Districts. This was the first step in the process that will lead to a more detailed by-law that will lay out the criteria for a Commercial Assessment Phase In Program.
Council wishes to develop a Commercial Assessment Phase-in program by creating a Commercial Development District (CDD). Commercially assessed properties in the CDD meeting the criteria established in an accompanying bylaw would be eligible for the Phase-In program of up to 50 per cent of assessment increases generated by either new development investment or redevelopment over a period of up to 10 years.
To utilize this program the municipality must designate a CDD in the Municipal Planning Strategy and develop a bylaw establishing the program criteria. A CDD must not be enterprise or industry specific and part of a operation that will have established facilities for sewer and water.
Cumberland faces challenging economic conditions. As a tool to reduce financial barriers to commercial development and growth, Council has chosen to implement the first step to establish the Commercial Assessment Phase-In program. To support the implementation of the Commercial Assessment Phase In program, the creation of the Commercial Development District was required.
Municipal council votes to repeal Sunset Adult Residential Centre Bylaw
Council has approved second reading of the bylaw to repeal the Sunset Adult Residential Centre Bylaw.
The Remedy Report arising from the 2014 court action included a number of key directions to address systemic discrimination of persons with disabilities in Nova Scotia. Among those directions was closing institutions, like Sunset, and building local community-based supports and services.
The Province of Nova Scotia is actively implementing the directions from the report. As the Board of Directors of Sunset Community Inc began to explore the implications of these directions for the Pugwash facility it became clear to them that they need to pivot from an institution-based model to a community-based model if they were going to continue to be relevant and provide care to their clients.
The board has been actively working on a community housing project, Sunrise Landing, which will see the development of housing in the Pugwash area for current and future clients of Sunset.
Municipality designates Parrsboro area properties for Swan Creek Protected Wilderness Area
Cumberland municipal council has approved the designation of nine properties as part of the Swan Creek Protected Wilderness Area and authorize the CAO to finalize the lands for designation with the province and sign the final letter of designation and return to the Minister of Environment.
Council originally approved the Nature Trust Agreement and working towards creation of the Swan Creek Wilderness Area designation of Municipal lands and any privately acquired lands under the program back in October 2019.
The municipal portion of funding for the program was in the form of an in-kind contribution by the municipality, largely covered by the designation of existing municipal lands in Parrsboro.
Lands are considered as contributions once designated as a Provincial Protected Wilderness Area (PWA), or by Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). The municipality maintains ownership of any lands designated.
Municipal lands originally presented as in-kind contribution have changed since an initial report to council in October 2019. Properties around the Parrsboro aboiteau, and several around the former town dump were removed from the contribution agreement.
Charles Perry properties in Swan Creek, Parrsboro were acquired through the program funding and must be designated as part of the new Protected Wilderness Area. The municipality maintains ownership with the PWA designation lands.
Properties will be maintained ownership by the Municipality as originally planned for potential recreation infrastructure.
