Land Use Bylaw should not be changed

I wrote a few weeks ago about efforts to reduce the lot area and frontage

requirements for a rezoning application.

These requirements were increases

just a few years ago to enhance the development of the town. This is an

important issue because it indicates a regression in our town planning and

may allow many owners to now apply to have their properties rezoned where

they couldn’t before. As a result, you may find an apartment being built in

place of the single-family home next door.

The change went to the Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) where we argued

that such a change was detrimental and unnecessary for the street and the

town and to make it without informing all those that the amendment would

affect was unfair.

The untruth that we had been informed and approved of the building of an

eight unit apartment next door was perpetuated. In addition, the fact that

these units were important to attract new doctors to the area was put

forward. This was an interesting development, especially since one of the

other arguments was that since “Parade Street is such a hodge podge what

difference would five more units make�.

Right … I see lots of doctors rushing to reside in this “hodge podge�.

In the end, we were supported by the PAC that recommended AGAINST the

change … but it doesn’t stop there. On Dec 14, the issue will be put before

the Yarmouth Town Council.

I want to remind the citizens of Yarmouth again that this change, if

approved, will have serious and lasting effects on the development in our

town. In our case, as an example, a beautiful residential lot will be

replaced by an eight-unit apartment that will fill in all of the lawn area

with buildings and parking lots. So much so that they will have to use our

narrow drive way for access to and from Parade Street because there is not

enough room on their lot for a driveway.

Our neighbors on the other side will now have their bedroom window open onto an apartment parking lot. As many as a dozen additional cars will now be entering and leaving Parade

Street from two narrow driveways sandwiched between the closely parked cars.

This is not what we expected when we purchased our homes. The existing Land

Use Bylaw should not be changed. If you agree, make your feelings known to

the Town Clerk at 400 Main St., Yarmouth, NS, B5A 1G2.





Joe Paquette

Yarmouth