A rental townhouse development containing about 55 units is planned on an eight-acre property on Kitchen Road South. The development would be accessed off West Elliott Street.
At its February 15 meeting, Huntsville planning council (formerly planning committee) approved the rezoning and subsequent severance of an estimated 35-acre parcel owned by John Broadbent at 31 Kitchen Road South. Alex Romano, principal with MBG Developers, told the planning council that it is the developer’s intention to purchase the lot and build rental housing on it.
The severed lot will have 20 metres of frontage on Main Street West and 20 metres of frontage on West Elliott Street. A hydro line runs down the length of the property – an issue the developer will have to deal with.
A public meeting was held to rezone the lands in order to facilitate the severance for future development. Huntsville manager of planning services Richard Clark told the planning council that under the Town’s delegation of authority bylaw the director of development services has the authority to approve uncontested consent applications but the file has gone to council due to concerns received.
Council heard concerns about the development included the impact additional traffic would have on West Elliott Street, erosion on Kitchen Road South and the environmental impact the development will have on an otherwise naturally wooded area.
In the end, the application was approved on the condition that an updated environmental, traffic, and servicing study be conducted and drainage and grading and slope stability be addressed.
Planning representative Lanny Dennis spoke on behalf of his clients and said the proposal “is targeting a much-needed shortfall of residential rental units and certainly following and reflecting the province’s thrust to bring on board more housing, quick.” He said the development will follow “the lay of the land to minimize the amount of disruption and disturbance to the property.”
Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock said she is in full support of the application. She said she supports the development of 55 rental townhouse units. “I think that’s fantastic,” she said, adding that she also liked the reference to keeping as much of the natural landscape as possible “because it is a lovely lot” and she said she liked the proposed development’s proximity to Hunters Bay Trail. “So there’s a connectivity piece to it as well.”
Huntsville Councillor Helena Renwick asked why the applicant wouldn’t use an entrance from Main Street rather than West Elliott Street. Clark essentially said the area where a road could constructed is too narrow.
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It does make a person wonder. I also know this area and I’m sure they’ve had floods there in the past. Rental housing is a necessity for the community and I wonder if the Town of Huntsville can disclose the vacant land they own that could be potential for development. And then work with developers and other levels of government to get affordable rental housing built.
Adding new rental units sounds great but this development if not handled properly will cause significant flooding to a number of houses on kitchen rd south. Also there is wet land in the area that is home to species at risk that will be destroyed.
Be careful with the drainage issues there . In the past , existing properties have been adversely affected by bad decisions and faulty construction decisions !