Shawville hosts second public consultation on rezoning for housing development

Shawville hosts second public consultation on rezoning for housing development

On March 3, around 30 people attended a second public consultation regarding a plan to rezone a section of residential land to allow a block of four six-unit apartment buildings (site plan available here) in Shawville along chemin John-Dale near the intersection with West Street.

Representatives of the developers, Maisons PAJ, were on hand to answer the public’s questions, which were largely similar to the first consultation, which took place in early February. Under new provincial legislation Bill 31, municipalities can speed up the rezoning process for housing developments, cutting down the process by several months, provided the proposed development meets certain standards including increasing the supply of social and affordable housing.

One of the main concerns of residents who live near the proposed development is the fact that the area lacks street lights and a sidewalk connecting it to the rest of town. Mayor Bill McCleary said that the cost of putting in a sidewalk all the way to chemin Rectory was prohibitively expensive, but that council could look into paving some of the over width and adding removable lane dividers to allow for a pedestrian path if the zoning change does go through. Jessica Léon lives across from the proposed development and said that she had concerns about the increase in traffic that it would bring to a relatively quiet part of town.

Others questioned the impact that such a sizable development would have on the value of their homes.

Speaking after the meeting, Matthieu Jodoin of Maisons PAJ said that they would be adding extra lighting and a sidewalk along their lot. He added that some residents had inquired about making some of the units wheelchair accessible, which he said is a relatively inexpensive modification that he could suggest to investors.

Shawville’s building inspector Charles Gallant said that they had brought the concerns to the builder and said that council will be voting on the zoning changes at their next public meeting on March 11. If the change is approved, Gallant said that council can spell out certain stipulations like streetlights or a sidewalk during the permitting process.

Jodoin said that if the approvals go though, they hope to start construction by late summer or the fall.