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
Public opinion divided on Lafford building proposal
Developer John Lafford plans to start construction on a new apartment building behind the historic Fisher House by mid-July.
Lafford made the statement at a public hearing before Tantramar Council concerning two proposed zoning bylaw changes that would make way for his development, a six-storey, 71-unit apartment building at 131 Main Street.
Council didn’t discuss or debate the amendments after the hearing on Tuesday afternoon, but will have a chance to do so at their next regular meeting on July 11.
Before Lafford can proceed, his requested amendments need to pass three readings in council, taking place over at least two meetings. The next regular meeting after July 11 is scheduled for August 8, but council also has the ability to call a special meeting at any time.
‘A divisive issue in our community’
The gallery of Tantramar council chambers was packed with over 40 people for the public hearing on Tuesday.
Plan 360 planner Lori Bickford started by laying out the case for the amendments, which would rezone part of the property and then amend that zone to allow for taller buildings up to 65 feet in height. Bickford included a site plan in her presentation, but did not present renderings of what the building would look like in context, a point of concern raised early on by some residents.… Continue
Public hearing Tuesday over zoning changes to make way for six-storey apartment building
On Tuesday, Tantramar residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on two proposed zoning by-law changes that if approved, would make way for a six-storey building next to Mount Allison’s Normandy Field, and overlooking the Sackville Waterfowl Park. The public hearings on the changes take place during council’s committee of the whole meeting at 3pm Tuesday at Sackville town hall.
Local developer John Lafford is proposing to build a 71-unit apartment building behind the historic Fisher House at 131 Main Street. Currently, the property is not zoned for apartment buildings, and so Lafford has applied to rezone a portion of the property to the R3 zone which allows for larger apartment buildings. But the R3 zone alone is not enough for the project to go forward. Lafford has also requested an amendment to the R3 zone, changing the allowable building height from 50 feet to 65 feet. If that amendment is approved, it will affect all R3 properties in Sackville, including over 100 acres of other properties located outside the downtown core, mostly surrounded by single residential zones.
On Tuesday, Plan 360 planner Lori Bickford will make presentations on the two proposed amendments, and then members of the public will have a chance to weigh in, with five minutes allowed for each speaker. Members of council will have the opportunity to ask questions, in order to make sure they understand both the application and any arguments in favour or against.… 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