Second residential tower proposed for site near Lake Banook

Twin Lakes Development wants to double the number of buildings proposed for a site in Dartmouth, N.S., near Lake Banook.

In 2006, the developer received approval for a plan to build a 12-storey building at Prince Albert and Bartlin roads. Now, the company has acquired more land and wants to build two 12-storey residential towers with commercial space on the bottom floor.It also wants to move the location of the complex.

According to the councillor for the area, the proposed changes will trigger a whole new approval process.

"When it's a substantial amendment, I mean, this isn't just changing the colour of the siding," saidCoun. Sam Austin. "So, there'll be a public information meeting, a staff report, a public hearing and then council will make a decision."

Austin estimates that whole process could take a year to complete.

According to a 2018 city staff report, during the 2006 public hearing for the proposal, all speakers were in favour of the development, except for one. A petition was also submitted by residentsin support of the development.

In its latest application, Twin Lakes Development said it was increasing its buffer zones and by moving the location of the towers, it was reducing the visual presence of the development on both Alderney Elementary and Lake Banook.

The proposal for the towers is for 175 units of one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as three-bedroom townhouse units. The developer has also said at least 20 per centof the units may be designated as affordable housing.

The plans include216 underground parking spaces with 20 more surface parking spaces for visitors, an enhanced sidewalk connection between Prince Albert Road and the adjacent school site through the property,as well as burying the utility lines along the street in front of the development.

In addition to the two towers, there are plans for a further phase of the development involving a number of six-storey apartment buildings to the rear of the site. But those will be done under the new development rules of the Centre Plan, which is expected to be approved in the fall of 2019.