Green light for Greenwich long-term care facility

BY KIRK STARRATT

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

A proposed long-term care facility to be developed by Shannex Health Care in Greenwich has been given the green light by Kings County council.

Council gave second and final reading at the June session to Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB) amendments that would allow the development to proceed.

The 50-bed licensed nursing home would be located at the end of the cul de sac on Jessica Way, a proposed new municipal road in Greenwich Park subdivision off Highway 1 in Greenwich. The county made the project a top priority because of a tight provincial timeline, although the process followed the regular public participation and legislative process.

However, at least one councillor said he needs more answers to satisfy his concerns before a project of this magnitude is fast-tracked. Councillor Eric Smith, who represents New Minas, said there is no doubt in his mind that Greenwich is the place for the nursing home, but there are unanswered questions about the proposed site.

The Department of Transportation expressed no concerns so no traffic study was required. Smith asked why, then, would a traffic study be required for other developments in other areas. He said there’s a blind hill if you’re coming from Wolfville and he sat in the cul de sac for 12 minutes earlier that day trying to turn out on Highway 1.

He said no zoning change would have been required with the old Horton High property that sits on the border between Greenwich and New Minas, another proposed site for the nursing home, and questioned why there was never a report from the Department of Health on why the old Horton location didn’t meet provincial criteria. Smith questioned the length of the cul de sac as well, and whether or not it exceeds municipal bylaws.

Planner Dawn Sutherland said a traffic study was not required and the cul de sac is about 800 feet long.

“The final plan for subdivision was approved with that cul de sac,” she said.

Any bus service?

Smith said he measured it and it’s 914 feet from the highway to the end of the cul de sac.

He expressed concern with a steep ravine close by and said he’d rather see the nursing home in a flat location.

He said he serves on the Kings Transit board and nothing has been discussed about proposed bus service to the nursing home. There are other nursing homes with no bus service and Smith questions how Kings Transit could service the new nursing home.

“I’m begging council to look at this location and the other location and compare,” Smith said, pointing out that the Horton site is level and would have traffic lights eventually. He said he’d like to see the decision referred or held over.

Warden Fred Whalen said the county has been told since day one that the Department of Health ruled out the old Horton site because it’s too close to nearby industry, but the county has never received anything in writing.

Site was deemed number one preference

Councillor Chris Parker, who represents Greenwich, said the county had been told clearly that Greenwich Park is the number-one site to develop. The number-two location is in Wolfville. Parker said he’d support the approval of the Greenwich Park site and he encouraged his fellow councillors to support it.

Councillor John Fuller pointed out that it’s up to the developer to choose the location and said, “I think it’s the right project in the right place at the right time and it should proceed.”

Shannex wants to build the long-term care facility as a component of a possible future “retirement campus” that would include a retirement or assisted living facility and multi-unit buildings for independent living. The subject site, about 16 acres, is currently vacant. As many as 174 units could be constructed there by the time the development is completed. The facilities would be constructed as part of the province’s Continuous Care Strategy.

A new zone, Hamlet Residential Community Care (R11), has been established that would allow for long-term care facilities and residential community care uses as-of-right in Greenwich. The amendments included a concurrent rezoning of the property to R11 from R7.

“I just want fairness,” Smith said. “I can’t believe the Department of Health has submitted no letter. It’s not right.”