The rezoning application for a proposed 96-unit development in Rothesay is heading to council for approval.
On Monday, the Holland Hills development received unanimous support from the town’s Planning Advisory Committee.
Developer Andrew Baskin is proposing to build two six-storey buildings with 48 units each on land located off Holland Drive.
Baskin told committee members that he anticipated the development would be complete within three to five years.
“The first build I would like to see, if it was wood, start this spring and be finished within 18 months, and if we go concrete, about two years,” said Baskin.
The buildings would include some two-floor townhouse-style apartments, which Baskin said do not currently exist in the town.
There would be a variety of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with rents ranging from $1,200 to more than $3,000.
Developers have also agreed to provide 14 affordable two-bedroom apartment units between the two buildings for a 20-year period.
The base monthly rental rate in those units must be at or below 30 per cent of the median total income of lone-parent family households in Rothesay and can only be raised by a maximum of the Consumer Price Index.
The rezoning application had been tabled as staff and committee members awaited more information from the applicant.
Brian White, director of planning and development services for the town, said that included a water capacity test for the development.
“Results indicate abundant flow of water and pressure to support the development’s fire needs and drinking water needs,” White told the committee.
The developer also submitted a stormwater management plan indicating that they intend to use rooftop and underground storage to reduce the size of any required surface pond storage.
“The post-development conditions will not increase the peak stormwater runoff beyond what is currently happening,” said a staff report to the committee.
Staff also asked the developer to investigate the possibility of driveway connection through the Canadian Tire or Sobeys parking lots, but White said they were not seen as viable options “for various reasons.”
During a public hearing in November, several residents raised concerns about the development, namely when it comes to increased traffic in their neighbourhood.
Current plans show Chapel Road being extended to the development site, which means all traffic to and from the buildings would be channelled along Chapel Road to the Marr Road intersection.
A traffic study found that while the proposed development would generate 522 daily trips, the intersection would remain below capacity and continue to perform efficiently overall.
The developer has agreed to help pay for traffic signals at the Chapel Road and Marr Road intersection if it is something the town wants to explore.
One resident also said he is worried about the overall impact the development would have on nearby properties.
Council will consider those concerns when the rezoning application comes before them at a later date.
Follow
