GUYSBOROUGH — The Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) has cleared the way for a new housing development, green lighting the direct sale of a four-acre parcel of land at Cutler’s Brook Estates to Atlantic Edge on Properties Inc. of Antigonish for $50,000.
“Phase 1 and phase 2 are slated for 10 units each of townhouse-style apartments open to everyone,” Atlantic Edge president Andrew Boudreau told The Journal in a text message on May 6.
The development for “families and individuals as tenants” is scheduled to begin within five years, although Boudreau has “an anticipated start” of August, MODG Development Officer Deborah Torrey told council’s committee of the whole (COW) meeting on May 1.
According to her briefing note, municipal staff have been working with him on his “request to purchase a portion of municipal property located in the Cutler’s Brook subdivision” and proposal “to maximize the development potential of this property by constructing several multi-unit residential buildings” since January.
As “housing is identified as a priority for the MODG and this proposed development would support those policies,” the deal waives the public tender option for sales of this type in favour of a direct purchase agreement with Boudreau, who completed his 36-unit Carleton Place apartment complex at 126 Church St. in Guysborough in time for a June opening.
“MODG has commonly used two methods to sell property to an individual or developer upon receipt of an application,” Torrey outlined in her briefing. “The MODG could advertise the property for public tender or sell the property directly to an applicant, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the MODG ... In this case, the developer is asking for consideration that the property be sold directly to them.”
She added: “The purchaser is responsible for all costs involved in the sale in addition to the purchase price ... The property will have to be subdivided as well as rezoned, which will all be done at the developer’s expense. The developer will also be responsible for all servicing costs which include the equivalent unit costs and annual sewer operating charge.”
Meanwhile, she noted, Atlantic Edge has had the parcel appraised by A&A Property Appraisals of Antigonish, and a preliminary site plan and concept drawing have been prepared.
Distinct from Carleton Place, which is designed to accommodate people 55 and over and which includes some provincially subsidized units, the Cutler’s Brook development will be available to “anybody at all,” Boudreau told The Journal in in January. “We’ll just go through a regular screening process. We’re trying to get a nice living area up there for residents ... We’ll have three, two and one-bedroom units. We could have seniors, young families, professionals. It will be a mix.”
At that time, Pitts told The Journal, “Council is certainly open to something like this ... Housing is a serious situation no matter what municipality you live in. Anytime we can turn around and get more housing, that’s great.”
Last month, The Housing Trust of Nova Scotia announced its intention to have eight, affordable, townhouse-style rental homes – on Cutler’s Brook land it received from the MODG in October for $2 – in move-in condition by the end of the year.
Council’s COW approved the land sale to Atlantic Edge without dissent.
