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Old Posted Jul 9, 2008, 12:27 PM
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Council clears way for $300m Dartmouth project

By AMY PUGSLEY FRASER City Hall Reporter
Wed. Jul 9 - 5:47 AM

Regional council is in the mood for development.

With a 21-0 vote at city hall Tuesday night, councillors approved changes to land-use bylaws and planning strategies that will pave the way for a $300-million development for Dartmouth’s waterfront.

King’s Wharf — a series of buildings that will include a hotel, 30-storey condo building, shops, three public accesses to the waterfront, a marina and underground parking—– wouldn’t be permitted without the changes.

But now developer Francis Fares can proceed to Dartmouth’s community council to test the waters for a development agreement for his project, which will be located on the former Dartmouth Marine Slips land.

Before their vote, councillors heard from more than 50 people during a public hearing.

Not since the so-called Twisted Sisters development proposed for the Tex-Park lot in Halifax two years ago has council seen such an outpouring of public input — so much so that council had to extend its meeting to 11 p.m., an hour past its normal closing.

The overwhelming majority of speakers, who came from all over the municipality, were in favour of the development.

Many Dartmouthians, like Helen Anstey, said they were encouraged to see such investment put into their side of their harbour.

"It’s our turn now," she said. "We don’t have what you (in Halifax) have on your waterfront."

"We’ve always been considered the dark side of the harbour," agreed Marjorie Gibbons of Hazelhurst Street.

"But this would make everyone in Halifax say, ‘Wow! Look how bright it is!’ "

About five people were opposed and almost as many said they liked the idea of the project but didn’t approve of the height of the proposed development.

They included Heritage Trust president Philip Pacey, who said after the meeting that it’s "too early to tell" whether he’ll appeal council’s decision.

Clive Mason told council to reject it because the plan calls for filling in water lots to accommodate a development that he said is too tall and out of scale with its neighbourhood.

"They’re going to pave over the harbour," he said.

In the end, though, councillors — led by area councillor Gloria McCluskey — were all for the project.

Coun. Debbie Hum (Rockingham-Wentworth) said she was influenced by the residents who came to speak from downtown Dartmouth.

"So many of them said they didn’t care (about the view plane) . . . and that they were willing to overcome that, because what was important to them was the revitalization of the downtown and what this would do for Dartmouth.

"I thought that was tremendous."

Initially, Coun. Bob Harvey (Lower Sackville) said he was concerned for the height.

"It has the potential of being a Fenwick-By-The-Sea," he said, referring to Fenwick Place, the Dalhousie University residence in Halifax that is 32 storeys high.

However, he noted that the height of the tower is something that can be further debated when the Dartmouth councillors hold a public hearing on the development agreement for the project in a few months.

( apugsley@herald.ca)
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