Entrance to Region of Queens council chambers. Photo Ed Halverson

The May 9 Region of Queens Council meeting may have been the shortest in recent memory.

There were no petitions, presentations, public comments or discussion items, leaving just two recommendations for council to consider.

The first was a request from the Liverpool Junior Hockey Association for $7,215.53 in funding from the Region’s Community Investment Fund.

The association hosted the Don Johnson Memorial Cup at Queens Place from April 25-30 at a total overall budget of $99,724.25.

The cup is the Junior B hockey championships for Atlantic Canada, won this year by the Antigonish Junior B Bulldogs.

The Liverpool Junior Hockey Association applied to receive up to 12.5 percent funding on $57.724.25 in eligible expenses.

Staff recommended the association receive the funding and council approved.

The only other recommendation was for council to decide on a variance appeal for a proposed increase to the number of units included in the construction of a new building behind 87 Bristol Ave in Liverpool.

A hearing was held ahead of the council meeting for residents to present their objections to the increase and for the developer to provide their response.

In the end, council decided the developer was following the regulations set out in the municipality’s Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Planning Strategy and denied the resident’s appeal, permitting the construction of the 45 units at the location instead of the initial 36.

The meeting concluded in less than 20 minutes.

The next Region of Queens Council meeting will be held May 23 at 6:00pm in council chambers.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
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Apartment will be built behind Bristol Hall. Photo Google Maps

A request to add six more units to a proposed apartment building on Mersey Avenue is raising concerns for neighbours.

On March 11, the Region of Queens sent out notices to people living with 100 feet of the development property line advising they had 14 days to express any objections with the additional units.

Mayor Darlene Norman says she’s pleased to see plans to create more living space downtown.

“People want services. They want to be close to infrastructure. The land is there. They could be building the same size building with 30 units. They’ve simply asked for six additional units within that size,” said Norman.

Regional council voted in 2017 to amend the land use bylaw in to allow the construction of up to 30 units in a building without going through public consultation.

Norman says public notice was given at the time and people came to council to express their views. Ultimately the decision was made and the provincial government approved the bylaw change on May 31 of that year.

Region staff can approve a variance to allow an additional 50 percent more units to be built but must allow time for neighbouring residents to appeal that decision.

Upper Deck Developments owns the waterfront property in question, behind Bristol Hall, formerly known as Dean Manor.

President of Upper Deck Developments Jonathan Lloy says he doesn’t have much detail to offer at the moment as they’re trying to determine the potential of the property.

Lloy says the public and government have a legitimate voice in all of this and once he has more information he will share it with the public.

He says openness is important and there is no invisible guiding hand behind their plans.

“I would certainly encourage people to keep an open mind until they get some of these details and maybe can decide a bit more for themselves how they feel about it,” said Lloy.

There’s been much speculation on social media as to whether the building will be geared towards seniors or low-income housing but the primary concern for many is the congestion adding 36 units would create on an already busy Bristol Avenue.

Lloy couldn’t comment directly on any of those issues and expects to have a better idea of their plans to share in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, neighbours have until March 25 to submit their appeal to the municipality.

Council will hear from the appellants in person at the April 13 council meeting and will decide at that time whether permission to build the extra six units will be granted.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.