Dental clinic developer gives up plan for rental units on Main Street
A proposed building for 35 Main Street will no longer include eight one-bedroom apartments as was proposed back in July. The rental housing was removed from the project due to a need for expediency, says the CEO of the company that is building the project.
Harold Daley of Quest Properties says a dental clinic planned for the main floor of the building was always the priority. “The apartments were a nice addition if the construction didn’t mean a longer schedule,” writes Daley by email. “Unfortunately it would have added too much time to the schedule so we returned to the commercial option only.”
The proposal came before Tantramar council Monday afternoon in an application under the town’s economic development incentive program. Over the first five years after the project is completed, Tantramar will rebate a portion of the property tax on the building. According to calculations modelled on those in the town’s policy, the $804,500 project would get about $54,600 in tax rebates over the five year period, while paying a net of $39,500 in tax. The current taxes on the vacant property beside town hall are just under $900 per year.
The town’s incentive program is intended to accelerate “commercial, industrial and multiple unit resident development,” but Corporate Services director Kieran Miller says there are also other policies in the municipality that help encourage residential development.… Continue
Development incentive for Lafford project could cost about $1.2 million over 10 years
Tonight at their regular council meeting, councillors will be asked to vote on approving a nearly $1.2 million dollar grant over ten years for developer John Lafford, for his proposed six-storey apartment building at 131 Main Street.
When John Lafford spoke to Tantramar council in favour of bylaw amendments that would make way for his 71-unit residential development, he floated mid-July as a possible start date for the project. The developer even requested a special meeting of council on July 19 for accelerated second and third readings of his requested zoning changes. Those changes were approved on July 19, but as of the end of last week, Plan 360 has yet to receive a building permit application for the project.
Instead, the project will be back before council on Tuesday night, to ask for approval on a grant that will rebate roughly 50% of the property tax on the new development over 10 years. The estimated financial cost of the grant is not included in the staff report to council, but after a media request, Tantramar’s director of Corporate and Community Services Kieran Miller shared the estimated cost of $1.185 million over the next decade.
The grant falls under the former town of Sackville’s Economic Development Incentive Program, passed in March 2020, which aims to attract and spur on new commercial, industrial or multi-unit residential projects.… Continue
Zoning changes move forward in 8-to-1 votes, Lafford building could go ahead after one more meeting
Lafford Properties is one step closer to being able to build a new six-storey, 71-unit building at 131 Main Street in Sackville, after Tantramar Council approved the first and second readings of bylaw changes at their meeting Tuesday night. The changes involve rezoning part of the property to a higher density R3 zone, and also changing the R3 definition to allow for up to 65 feet in height from the current 50 foot limit.
The zoning amendments now must pass a third reading at a Tantramar Council meeting, with the next regular meeting slated for August. If approved, John Lafford says construction could start in mid-August, and the process is expected to take 14-16 months.
The votes were nearly unanimous, with just one councillor, Bruce Phinney, voting against. Phinney told reporters after the meeting that he didn’t feel the Lafford project would help solve the town’s housing problem, that it would cause traffic issues, and that the building was generally “in the wrong place.” He also harkened back to his nay votes as a Sackville town councillor in 2014, when late developer Gordon Beal had applied for a zoning change on the same property. “If I voted in favour of this,” said Phinney, “I’d consider myself a hypocrite. And that’s one thing I’m not.”
All eight of Phinney’s colleagues voted in favour of both zoning amendments, with many commenting on the variety of opinions they heard from constituents on the topic.… Continue
Conflicting views on views: Lafford confident, neighbour critical of plans for six-storey building overlooking Waterfowl Park
Tantramar council voted unanimously on Tuesday to go ahead with a process to consider rezoning a property owned by John Lafford, and amending the town’s R3 zone to allow for buildings up to 65 feet high. Council set the date for a public hearing on both matters for June 27, 3pm, during its Committee of the Whole meeting.
The property in question is at 131 Main Street, a large historic white building that has served a commercial space and ad hoc apartments over the years. In 2014, under different ownership and a different council, it was turned down for rezoning that would have allowed for a three-storey, 18-unit apartment building in the rear part of the lot. Lafford’s proposal is for a six-storey, 71-unit building with one level of underground parking, on the same spot.
Despite previous failed rezoning attempts, Lafford is confident this time will go differently, mostly because of the state of the rental housing market. “There’s no housing, zero supply,” says Lafford. “I feel very strong and very confident that we’re going to get the nod from the council just based on that alone, without any bias of what developer, and who’s doing what, where, and how.”
Before Tantramar council voted on whether or not to consider Lafford’s two applications on Tuesday, they heard a presentation from the owner of a neighbouring building, Alexandrya Eaton, who told council she has concerns about the scale and location of Lafford’s proposal.… Continue
Lafford asks for amended zoning to make way for 71-unit building behind 131 Main
On today’s show, we listen in as Plan 360’s Lori Bickford presents requests from developer John Lafford to Tantramar council for a large new apartment building overlooking the Sackville Waterfowl Park. Plus in briefs: Tantramar to buy tantramar.com, and NB Power to install new fast EV chargers.
Listen to Tantramar Report for Tuesday, April 25, 2023: