K.C. Jordan, LJI Journalist
Shawville council has passed a motion to rezone a lot on John Dale Road in the town’s west end so it can accommodate four six-unit apartment buildings proposed by Luskville housing developer Maisons PAJ.
The vote came at its Mar. 11 meeting, following two public consultations the town held in February and March, as it was obligated to do under the province’s Bill 31 which makes it possible for municipalities to accelerate the process of zoning changes to build affordable housing.
One unit in each building will be offered at an affordable rate of $900, a number that is calculated by the CMHC according to average salary, market rent, and other regional factors.
In the two consultations residents raised concerns about plans for the housing development, including the lack of sidewalks connecting the development with the rest of the downtown core, as well as about the lack of streetlights near the proposed development.
Rick Valin, who lives next to the proposed development, said his objection to the project was related to safety concerns.
“The population density for our area would trip from 36 people to 108,” he said of the area surrounding the vicinity of the proposed site. “We have inadequate lighting, no sidewalks.”
Mathieu Jodoin of Maisons PAJ said the company will pave the area in front of the buildings and install lighting, thereby addressing Valin’s concerns.
“I want the man next door to be happy,” he said. “It’s a no-brainer for us.”
Shawville mayor Bill McCleary said the town is considering solutions to link the existing sidewalk ending at New Hope Church on Main St. with the sidewalk in front of the development.
“It might not be a cement sidewalk from West Street to the New Hope Church,” he said, noting this would likely be too expensive. “It might be a four-foot addition to the pavement with some kind of barricade between the traffic and the sidewalk.”
He pointed to the kind of divided footpath that currently exists on chemin de la Chute in Mansfield, between Highway 148 and École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge as an example of what Shawville is considering.
McCleary noted a few other concerns raised by residents at the consultations, including the potential need for handicap-accessible units, and for speed detectors on John Dale Road.
“These speed warning things that flash when you’re exceeding the speed limit, we’re looking at a couple of those,” McCleary said, adding that residents felt more traffic might lead to more people speeding.
As for handicap-accessible units, the town has made a request to Maisons PAJ, who will present the request to potential buyers.
“If they feel that there’s a demand for handicap-accessible, [ . . . ] they’ll do a survey and see if there’s a need for this.”
Jodoin said construction could begin as soon as this fall, if everything goes according to schedule with their current constructions on Lang Street and Bristol Street.
“We’re going to rent those first,” he said, adding that the demand for rentals in Shawville will also determine the speed at which they begin construction.
Jodoin will then sell the buildings to investors, who will then put out a call to rent the units to prospective tenants.