FALL RIVER: Approximately 90 people came out on Monday night (Feb. 24) for a community meeting about the Ingram Drive development (Site C).
The meeting was held by residents who are fighting for a judicial review of the Fall River Village project.
Meeting co-chairs Peter Spruin and David Nunn told the crowd they had invited the developer, Larry Gibson of Perry Lake Developments; MLA Brian Wong; and Councillor Cathy Deagle Gammon to the meeting.
Gibson sent the organizers a letter through his lawyer, while Wong did not attend. Deagle Gammon rearranged her schedule to be able to attend the community meeting.
It was held at the Gordon R. Snow Community Centre in Fall River.
The group is also looking for support as they are going forward with the judicial review. One can donate and learn more at their page at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/stop-the-proposed-ingram-drive-fall-river-development .
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At the meeting, the two told the crowd of the process to date and what the reasoning was asking for the judicial review.
Andre Crocker is one of the organizers of the GoFundMe linked to raising money to help cover the costs for the judicial review. He said in the GoFundMe post that Under Bill 329, it gives the provincial government the powers to bypass municipal decisions and was able to designate Ingram Drive a Special Planning Area (SPA).
According to residents of the group, the Ingram Drive development does not meet the criteria to be designated as a Special Planning Area.
Based on a review of the seven Special Planning Area evaluation criteria, six of the seven criteria are not applicable to this site. Thus, this parcel of land doesn’t meet the criteria to be a Special Planning Area.
Among those criteria is (as per the document posted on the government website)
Site Suitability: water/wastewater and/or environmental studies complete and adequate infrastructure in place or funding secured for same.
Transportation Ready or Funded: Transportation studies complete and adequate infrastructure in place or funding secured for same (i.e., supports climate friendly multi-modal transportation)
Mix of Housing Types: Development proposes or could accommodate a mix of tenure and housing types and/or contributes to densifying the area (i.e., Single- unit, multi-unit, townhome, supporting multi-demographic housing needs, etc.).
Regional Plan Alignment: Development alignment consistent with the most current HRM Regional Municipal Planning Strategy.
Community Benefit: Development ideally includes affordable housing, increasing green/park space/recreational amenities, cultural indoor space, long term care, or primary healthcare component.
Quick Opportunities: Development is feasible to quickly translate into built units.
Priority Alignment: Development alignment with provincial and municipal housing priorities such as Land for Housing Project, Provincial Housing Needs Assessment, and non-profit housing component of builds.
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The co-chairs of the meeting said elected HRM officials rejected the proposed development of Ingram Drive because it is not compliant with the already existing Municipal Planning Strategy.
As stated in Municipal Planning Strategy, for this Opportunity Site C: “Direct Access to Cobequid Road shall also be required to minimize traffic impact on Fall River Village…”.
It is also stated in the already existing Municipal Planning Strategy: “that any development situated adjacent to a low-density residential development does not result in any undue adverse impacts on adjacent properties in terms of traffic and privacy conditions…”
It was acknowledged by elected HRM officials that the density of the proposed development (comprised of three apartment buildings totaling 120 units), had no supporting infrastructure:
No waste-water system.
No transit (it is a vehicle dependent community, which would further exacerbate the high volume of new vehicular traffic serving this considerable number of rental units).
No sidewalks.
The group fighting for the review said they are not against development; it just needs to be the proper one fitting for the area especially with no extra access to the site, they’re concerned about the possibility of what happens if a forest fire happens. That came more to the forefront after the Tantallon forest fire.
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Spruin and Nunn told the crowd that MLA Wong had told them the SPA decision was a final one, so they were disappointed at that.
The community has expressed a willingness for meaningful engagement with government and the developer that could potentially lead to an appropriate alternative development proposal, Spruin and Nunn said.
Most recently, there has been a development agreement submitted.
To act, members of the community have paid out of pocket for a judicial review of the special planning site C.
That review can be supported through donations at the GoFundMe account. It can be found at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/stop-the-proposed-ingram-drive-fall-river-development
