Controversial planning document approved

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

welliott@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

Wolfville town council has approved the community’s controversial new planning documents.

The vote Sept. 23 on the revised Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB) was 5-1 with councillor Hugh Simpson opposing.

About 40 residents attended the Sept. 22 final hearing. David Daniels voiced his objection to wording regarding third storey development downtown, saying he believes the onus should be on the developer.

Keith Irving, who is running for town council, received applause when he suggested the documents be shelved and the process restarted.

Irving believes the public participation program was flawed and the process failed to meet the terms of the town’s contract with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

Robert Prange reminded council that 250 people signed a petition calling for the preservation of R1 zoning.

He added he didn’t want any last minute changes as came up in August as councillors Bill Zimmerman and John MacKay tried to revisit illegal home occupations in R1.

Another council candidate, Jim Laceby, stated that parking remains a concern of customers in downtown Wolfville. He got applause too for noting that environmental, social and economic components are all central to planning.

Planner Karen Dempsey reported that council was voting on draft five of the MPS and draft two of the land use bylaw.

She said there had been three public hearings and two review meetings by council, as well as 60 opportunities for public input.

The new MPS will require developers take part in the Energuide program as well as limit hard surface and lot coverage.