Bickford makes case to bring back drive-thrus, but with conditions
Drive-thrus may have at one time been a controversial item on Sackville town council’s agenda, but after a public hearing by Tantramar council on Tuesday afternoon, it’s hard to argue that residents feel strongly one way or another on the issue.
No members of the public showed up for a public hearing on whether or not to lift the 22-year-old ban on new drive-thrus in the town’s highway commercial zones, and no comments were submitted online or by mail through Plan 360. Even the proponent of the bylaw amendment, Rashaid Tufail, owner of the former Pizza Delight building on Mallard Drive, didn’t make an appearance.
The final question on the proposed change will be decided by council in a three separate votes, likely happening over the next two regular council meetings in August and September.
The case for drive-thrus
There’s no indication yet of which way councillors are leaning, but planner Lori Bickford’s report outlines the case for supporting the bylaw change.
Bickford told council Tuesday that the amendments she put forward could address one of the main issues cited in 2001 when drive thrus were originally banned, which was concerns over traffic congestion and confusion at exit 504.
The amendments would allow for drive-thrus as a permitted use in highway commercial zones, but would include design standards and also a requirement for a traffic impact study to be conducted, paid for by the developer, and submitted to Plan 360.… 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
Possible zoning change to increase allowable height on 108+ acres in Sackville
Correction: A previous version of this story identified one 3.5 acre property on Charlotte Street as vacant in error. The story and chart have been edited to reflect correct information. June 8, 2023, 8:30am
Two public hearings on proposed zoning changes are slated to happen at the end of this month, during Tantramar council’s June 27 committee of the whole meeting.
Approval of both changes would make way for a plan by developer John Lafford to build a six-storey building in the back half of the property at 131 Main Street, current home to the historic Joseph F Allison house, built in about 1841.
In order to make his plan work, Lafford is asking council to rezone the back half of the property to R3, the zone for high density residential development in Sackville’s by-law. At the same time, he’s asking council to change the definition of the R3 zone, to increase the height limit for buildings there from 50 feet to 65 feet. Lafford says he needs the extra height to make the proposed concrete building feasible. “You need scale in order to do what we’re going to do there,” he told CHMA.
But the change that Lafford is requesting won’t just affect the height allowance on his property at 131 Main Street. It will also change the rules for all properties throughout the former town of Sackville which fall under the R3 zone.… Continue