Stamp of approval

Gerrish Street development gets thumbs up from Windsor council to proceed

driveway with a neighbouring building, but a representative of the developer said the driveway was never considered for use.

Demolition of the existing structure began on Oct. 4. The building had been condemned as a fire hazard since July 2013, according to town planner Devin Lake.

Council approved the proposed development, with the caveat that the plan would come back to council if major amendments needed to be made.

Staff gives building thumbs up

Lake said the proposed building could be entirely residential or have ground floor commercial space, depending on market demand.

The current proposal encompasses one parking stall per unit.

“The density and scale of the building, in our opinion, it’s a well designed building that looks to respond to the local context of the street,” Lake said. “If a larger commercial tenant came in on the ground floor, there would be a requirement of one ( parking space) per 600 square feet of commercial.”

Chief administrative officer Louis Coutinho said details on access to the building are being worked out with the two landowners.

“The easement/ shared access will be maintained and a few options are currently being considered with the developer and neighbouring property owner, in consultation with the fire chief,” Coutinho said in an email following the public hearing. “If any modifications end up involving substantive changes to the project/ agreement, then it would go back to council for the consideration of an amendment.”

Coutinho said he anticipates that the access issue will be dealt with without needing to go back to council.

Council approved the development agreement unanimously.

The property is owned and being built by Halifax- based Alphonce Developments