Case 21460 - Site C in Fall River

Request

Application by W.M. Fares Architects, on behalf of Perry Lake Developments, for a site specific amendment to the River-Lakes Secondary Planning Strategy (SPS) under the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) for Planning Districts 14 and 17 (Shubenacadie Lakes), to enable a residential development at the south end of Ingram Drive and west of Highway 102, Fall River, known as Opportunity Site C (PID 40844375, 40551277, 00472910, 00472902 and 40551558).

Proposal

The applicant wishes to construct a residential development at the south end of Fall River Village, known as Opportunity Site C. The proposed development consists of:

• Three, 40-unit, 3-storey multiple unit dwellings at the end of a private shared driveway off Ingram Drive;
• A total of 120 residential units for a density of 4 units per gross acre;
• Retention of 60% of the site as open space; and
• Retention of the MacDonald Sports Park Connector Trail on the property connecting Canterbury Lane Park to the end of Ingram Drive.

The current policies allow Council to consider development of the subject property by development agreement subject to the following criteria:

• Maximum gross density is limited to 4 units per acre;
• Maximum number of permitted multiple unit dwellings is 3;
• Maximum storeys per multiple unit building is 3;
• Maximum number of units per multiple unit building is 40;
• Minimum of 60% of the site is retained as open space;
• Maximum of 4,000 sq. ft. of local commercial uses and maximum 10,000 sq. ft. self storage facility;
• Controls on lighting;
• Provision of a connector trail to the MacDonald Sports Park;
• Direct vehicular access to the Cobequid Road; and
• Transportation and Phosphorus Net Loading Assessment studies verifying:
  • the proposed development can occur without exacerbating local traffic problems; and
  • all phosphorus can be retained on-site in a post development environment.

Most features of the proposed residential development can already be considered through existing policies; however, there are some components that require changes to the River-Lakes Secondary Plan (SPS) under the MPS for Planning Districts 14 and 17. The applicant is requesting the following policy changes to enable the proposed development:

• Eliminate the requirement for direct access to the Cobequid Road and the trail connection requirements across the rail line to MacDonald Sports Park; and
• Remove the allowance for commercial uses at the subject property;

The Development Plans (provided below) outline the development proposal in detail, and includes information related to the design of the proposed buildings, site layout, landscaping, driveway access and traffic, servicing and net phosphorus loading.

Previous Proposal (Municipal Case 20672)

In 2016, the applicant submitted a proposal to enter into a development agreement to permit three multiple unit residential dwellings, a commercial building, and a self storage facility at Site C. Through the review of this application, staff became aware of a technical challenge. Planning policy requires a vehicular connection to Cobequid Road; however, Canadian National Rail did not grant permission to cross the rail line at grade, which was required to achieve the connection. As a result, the application was cancelled and never presented to the community or Council.

The vehicular connection to Cobequid Road was intended for commercial uses at Site C and for a future interchange at Highway 102, known as the Cobequid Community Connector, that was envisioned through the master planning exercise for River Lakes and 2014 Regional Plan Review. Nova Scotia Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (NSTIR) recently announced that they are constructing the Aerotech Connector which studies indicate would alleviate traffic in the Fall River, Waverley and Wellington areas and eliminate the need for the Cobequid Community Connector. Since CN Rail will not support an at grade crossing to Cobequid Road and NSTIR is constructing the Aerotech Connector, the Cobequid Community Connector at Highway 102 is no longer warranted. 

The applicant has submitted a new application to enable a residential development at Site C without a direct connection from Ingram Drive to Cobequid Road and to remove the provision for commercial uses under the policy.

Process

This application is being considered under the Municipal Planning Strategy Amendment and Development Agreement process.

Status

On February 27, 2018, Regional Council initiated the planning process following consideration of an initiation report  presented by staff.  Regional Council’s decision to initiate the proposal allows staff to carry the proposal through the planning process and engage with the community.

A public information meeting was held on Wednesday June 13, 2018. View the meeting notes. Since the public meeting in 2018, the applicant and the developer have been exploring ways to address some of the community concerns. 

Staff are currently reviewing the most recent revised submission package which can be viewed below. The most recent revised plans attempt to address public concerns and satisfy the existing policy criteria as much as possible. 

Given that the public has not been engaged in this file for over a year and the previous submission received considerable public attention, planning staff intend to conduct a second round of public consultation. Given the current circumstances with the Provincial State of Emergency and social restrictions to overcome the Covid-19 crisis, planning staff are exploring alternative tools to engage with the public. Information on the second round of engagement will be forthcoming. All community members who attended the last meeting will be notified of any future engagement for this case. Information on any future engagement will also be posted on this webpage.

Future steps for the planning process include completing a detailed review of the revised proposal, conducting a second round of public engagement, preparing a report with a recommendation from staff and draft development agreement, and forwarding the report to Regional Council and North West Community Council for a public hearing and decision.

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

The applicant has submitted plans and studies required by municipal staff to properly evaluate the application. The documents submitted may be revised upon a complete review of the proposal and consultation with the community. Revisions will be uploaded to this website as they are received. The relevant documents are linked below but these documents may alternatively be provided either by email or regular mail by making this request to the planner listed below.

Most Recent Submission – April 22, 2020
Concept Plan
Landscaping Plan
Elevations
Traffic Impact Study
Servicing Plans
Stormwater Management Plan
Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan
Phosphorus Net Loading Plan
Phosphorus Net Loading Study

Revised Submission - October 4, 2019
Site Plan
Drainage Letter and Report
On-Site Report
Phosphorus Letter
Traffic Impact Statement Letter and Report
Servicing Schematic

Previous Submission - April 3, 2018
Project Brief
Site Plan
Elevation Drawings
On-Site Sewage Disposal System Details
Traffic Impact Statement
Summary of Public Information Meeting Notes