Here we grow again…
If you’re wondering what the clearing of land on Legacy Lane is all about, it’s Devonleigh Land Inc. preparing to build up to 37 new townhouses on two lots it owns on that road.
Approval to build 23 townhouses on one of the lots with frontage on Legacy Lane and Hanes Road, was given about a year ago.
At its April 13 meeting, Huntsville’s Planning Committee approved Devonleigh’s latest site plan for the creation of an additional 14 townhouses on a 6,166m2 lot located between Chartwell Retirement Home and the Vernon View condominiums. The development will be serviced by an interior road and will have approximately 63 metres of frontage on Centre Street north and 22 metres of frontage on Legacy Lane.
The residential development will be geared for seniors with some bungalow-style constructions as well as 1.5-storey townhouses. There will be a sidewalk connected to the Centre Street sidewalk.
Councillor Bob Stone expressed concern with traffic and pedestrian safety. “We just keep approving more housing here, it needs to be addressed,” he said.
Committee Chair, Councillor Nancy Alcock, agreed. The issue of increased traffic in the area is expected to be explored further, along with a report penned for information only by Executive Director of Transportation and Infrastructure Jason Krynicki. It indicates that traffic infrastructure improvements may not be required at the Centre Street and Hanes Road area until 2021.
Councillor Karin Terziano, who sits on the Committee, noted that the 14-townhouse development being proposed by Devonleigh Land Inc. is not as dense as it could be.
“So I can’t really fight this application based on the traffic,” she said, adding that while traffic in the area does need to be examined, she was not comfortable holding up the project. In the end, the site plan was approved by Committee.
Minor variances associated with the proposal were also approved earlier that morning at the Committee of Adjustment. “Due to the layout of the townhouses in relation to the Centre Street lot line a reduction from 15m to 5m is being requested, as well as a reduction in the lot line adjacent to the parking area for the Chartwell retirement home from 6m to 5.1m,” stated a report to committee by the Town’s Manager of Planning Services, Kristin Maxwell.
The Town has seen numerous townhouse development proposals in the last year alone. “It does seem that townhouses are the flavour right now,” said Maxwell, in an interview following the meetings. “All the developers have all the market studies and all the retail stuff that they do to see what is selling and what’s attractive to buyers and it must be townhouses right now.”
The original development called for traffic lights in 2006. They still don’t get it the planning committee.
A traffic circle at Hanes and Center would ease traffic flow considerably. It should have been installed long ago.
Are done deals still being made in the back room.
These are great developments and certainly needed. Traffic is never a problem if you control the number and location of access points. Things like giving the beer store access so close to Centre and Hanes when they already had access off of Ott just adds to the slowing and congestion of traffic. Then there are the new access points for the development of the property on the south side of Hanes across from the beer store. These developments where already approved prior to the Beer Store. Planning can’ t be done helter skelter to please those with influence.
Town houses for seniors are needed. But most seniors that I know are looking for one floor and no stairs and affordable. This proposal will not meet the needs of those on fixed income.
Thank you Tamara for telling it as it is. The problem as I see it is that a private road that the town has absolutely no control over. So Buyer beware.
Further to your comment Ian, I am told the other lot you are referring to at 18 Legacy Lane has approvals for 29 townhouses and four semi-detached houses. The proponent is not Devonleigh Land Inc. but Legacy Lane Investments. Sounds like those approvals were given last year in June.
Hello Ian,
I just checked with the planner and you are absolutely right. I’ve changed it to reflect those numbers. Thanks for reading!
I think you have the numbers wrong. I believe they have approvals for 23 townhouses on the lot they are blasting now and approval was given for 14 more on Wed. That is a total of 37 townhomes and they have plans for more beside Chartwell that have also been given the go ahead anyone want to bet that there is not going to be a problem, all this is taking place on a private road owned by and maintained by Chartwell.
Townhouses geared specifically to seniors are definitely needed here!
So, if that’s what people want, where is the problem?