Bay Bulls not letting delay in municipal plan approval hold up permits

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The building season is upon Bay Bulls as council approved a number of new permits at the May 11 regular meeting, using its discretionary power under the 2014-2024 municipal plan.
Bay Bulls submitted its 2024-2034 plan to the Province some two years ago, but is still awaiting final approval. Town Manager Ashley Wakeham said the plan is in the queue and she expects it to be approved within the next couple of months. In the meantime, council is using its discretionary powers to approve projects that fall within the new proposed guidelines.
“We’ve had this plan in place that we wanted to further development and clear up some stuff that wasn’t working for us in the previous 10-year plan, but it’s not back from the Province yet,” Wakeham said. “This is our approach, instead of holding up development or telling people they will need to reapply when the plan is approved. That’s just not going to work for people, right?”
She said the number of residential and business approvals generally falls between 10 to 12 permits per month, sometimes up to 15.
Council approved a new residential application at 63 Dunn Drive, and approval in principle for new houses at 65 Dunn Drive, 21 Dunn Drive and 2 Sheldon Drive.
It also provided approval in principle for a variance at 123-127 Southside Road, as well as a new accessory building at that address that wouldn’t have met the height and size restrictions in the 2014-2024 plan, but meets the regulations in the 2024-2034 plan.
Also approved were permits for accessory buildings at 87 Island Cove Road, and 17 Glynn Place, and a business application for a new boat tour operator – with conditions. Applications for a variance and new house at 24A St. John’s Road were not approved.
Deputy Mayor Ethan Williams said the Town tried to work with the proponent to make the latter application work, but it just doesn’t seem viable in the space available.

Holyrood approves Penney’s Lane waterline upgrade

By Mark Squibb

The Town of Holyrood has awarded a contract to upgrade the Penney’s Lane waterline to Kelco Construction for a cost of $97,239, HST included.

“Penney’s Lane has had quite a number of leaks there in the last year, and we’re trying to be proactive here and improve that and take on the problem areas as we can and keep fixing and replacing the old pipe with new,” explained councilor Steve Winsor.

The Town received seven quotes by the deadline, with Mayor Laura Crawley noting that some of the prices were “astronomical.”

Winsor said that Kelco’s quote was the most cost competitive.

The councilor added that the town is actively keeping track of problematic waterlines across town.

“We have recognized different areas in the town that have had failures in the past,” said Winsor. “So, what Director (Robert) Stacey is keeping a record of all that – how many times we’ve been back there, how many times we’ve repaired something, how many people are on that road, what is the cost involved, and so on, and we try to prioritize that and allocate money in every year’s budget for those purposes.”

To that end, Winsor said that council would like to accomplish even more around town, but their hands are tied financially.

“We would like to do more,” said Winsor. “We always want to do more, right? When we reviewed these quotes - and all the quotes, actually, compared to years past - there’s a noticeable increase. We’re all seeing it at the grocery store and at the gas pump, right? – and you can see it in these quotes, too. Those contractors have costs. Their materials costs have escalated, their fuel costs for mobilizing their equipment and operating their equipment, [the cost of] paying their personnel, and it’s getting more expensive to repair things. So, we want to do more, but it’s something to think about, for all of us, in our budget deliberations next fall for next year.”

Mayor Crawley added that when council approved the 2026 budget, no one could have anticipated the rise of fuel costs associated with the war in Iran.

“Unfortunately, that’s the situation we’re in right now,” said the mayor. “Everyone’s feeling it.”

Councillor Mable Tilley was absent from the meeting, but other than that the motion passed unanimously.

Council approves St. Thomas Line subdivision, but pauses accompanying trail

By Mark Squibb

Paradise council has approved a 119-lot subdivision off St. Thomas Line, which includes extensions to Phoenix Drive and Kemble Avenue.

The application, approved last month, marks the completion of Octagon Development Corporation’s Picco Ridge subdivision, which has been in the works since 2015.

Including lots formerly approved by council over the years, the subdivision will boast nearly 200 lots all told, including both single dwelling and semi-detached dwellings.

Councillor Sheldon Antle noted that over the years a number of residents, particularly those on Madison Place, have raised concerns about the development, especially the construction of a walking trail.

Last year, council received a petition signed by 16 residents against the walking trail, arguing it would intrude on the privacy of homes on Madison increasing the risk of thefts. Fears about possible contamination of well water due to blasting for the trail was also raised.

Antle suggested that as the trail is one of the last things to be completed, council could approve the application for the houses now and work out the details on the trail later.

“It’s a phase-by-phase piece, so (the trail development) would certainly be down the road a fair bit,” said Antle. “I believe that would allow time for the applicant and the developer to have a discussion with respect to their needs and their requirements, and in the interim, the other work can get going. We would allow them time to work through some of the concerns with respect to Madison Place, so I think that’s a bit of a compromise we can find. My understanding is that this is a developer who has a fair bit of common sense and will certainly work with the applicant, and I know that the residents there are willing to work alongside as well.”

Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street said she was happy to hear that staff will contact the developer and residents on Madison to discuss the concerns.

“I’m going to support this development approval moving forward, however I would like to see, as councillor Antle had mentioned, basically a hold off on this particular open space determination right now until those concerns are addressed,” said Street.

Councillor Jennifer Hiscock said she was hoping a happy medium could be struck.

“Like Deputy Mayor Street said, I would absolutely support this development moving forward, this is something that has been in the works for a long time, but I would like to reconsider that trail piece,” said Hiscock, who suggested moving the trail elsewhere, if possible.

CAO Lisa Niblock cautioned that if council insists on the trail not being developed until a consensus is reached, a condition saying as much must be included in the application.

“Once you approve it as is, that (trail work) could be the first thing that starts tomorrow morning,” said Niblock.

Councillor Glen Carew voiced his support of a trail, given the lack of sidewalks on St. Thomas Line, but agreed with pausing approval of it until the kinks can be worked out.

Similarly, councillor Erin Furlong supported the idea of the trail, and said she hopes the developer and residents can work out an agreement.

“I’m definitely in support of the project moving forward, as long as we can figure this trail piece out later,” said Furlong.

Ultimately, council approved the application, subject to 24 conditions, with the understanding that any trail construction will be brought back for another vote before work begins.

Mount Pearl to get another Timmies

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Mount Pearl residents could soon see another spot to get their double-double fix, with a future drive-thru Tim Hortons on Kenmount Road getting a conditional green light from City council.
The secondary building will be adjacent to the gas station and convenience store already under development by Northbrook Construction, on behalf of Tim Horton’s, and located at 629-631 Kenmount Rd.
“That development is moving along quite handily,” said Mayor Dave Aker at the April 28 public meeting.
Council approved the proposed planned development of the secondary building for a drive-through use at that meeting and made a motion to enter into a development agreement with the property owner conditional upon the development meeting all requirements and conditions set forth by the City, Service NL, the St. John’s Regional Fire Department and other government agencies or stakeholders.
“Any approval would also be contingent upon meeting all relevant development standards and departmental conditions,” read the administrative report in the April 28 agenda.
The property shall not be subdivided and will remain as two buildings on one lot. The parcel may not be sold or subdivided without prior written approval from the City.
Public input was solicited in writing up to 12 noon on Monday, April 13, and no submissions were received by the City, and no interest was expressed in attending the briefing session, which was then cancelled.

Bay Roberts approves final change order for Sheartstown Road project

By Mark Squibb

Bay Roberts council this April approved what staff and councillors are hoping are the final two change orders related to phase one of the Shearstown Road project.

Change Order 8 was for additional costs for property reinstatement, including additional topsoil, sods and asphalt for various properties along Shearstown Road in the amount of $96,234, HST included.

Change Order 9 was for $10,476 worth of additional curb and gutter over and above what had been approved in the previously approved Change Order 7.

The new change orders bring the total project construction cost to $ 2,569,902, HST included.

“This is the final, the final, please God, invoice for this contract,” quipped CAO Dave Tibbo.

Both change orders were approved unanimously.

The upgrades, which include road upgrades and installation of new water and sewer lines, was approved in December 2024, are cost shared between the town, the province, and the feds, with the feds pitching in $737,706 and the province and the town pitching in $737,485 a piece, for an initial total project cost of $2,212,676.

Costs above and beyond the original cost fall on the town.

Rectory Road property may have archeological value

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Proponents of a residential development on Rectory Road in Topsail found out at a May 13 public hearing that the project may be subject to an archaeological search if it gets to the development application stage.

The public hearing pertained to a planned amendment to the Municipal Plan associated with 10-14 Rectory Road to rezone a portion of the land to residential low density. One of the written submissions received was from the author of an as yet unpublished book about the history of the Anglican Church in that location, which stated it may be the site of the original rectory.

“We don't know if that's the case or not,” the Town’s Director of Planning Corrie Davis noted in a summary of the submissions received. “So one of the things that might come from this, and I think it would be appropriate due diligence, is if we get to a development application stage that there might be a request of the provincial archeology office just to check their records to see if they have any knowledge of the location of that rectory and whether or not it's considered (an) historic resource or historic artifact on the legislation and whether or not then they have to go and do an archaeological dig. I don’t know what the outcome of that is, but there’s probably something we have to ask.”

That wrinkle was news to the developer, Triton Group Limited.

Commissioner Glenn Barnes said he expects to comment on the matter in his public hearing report. It is anticipated his report will be ready in about a month.

The other written submissions dealt with the impact on Town infrastructure by the new housing. There were no oral submissions from the public during the hearing, though the proponent did speak briefly.

The property in question runs from Topsail Road across from the soccer pitch to Rectory Road near St. John the Evangelist Church and Topsail Elementary and is divided into two zones. The majority of the property is within the Residential Low Density future land use designation. Around 18 per cent of the land is within the Public and Institutional future land use designation.

The property owner requested that council change the future land use designation and zoning to allow residential infill development consistent with the surrounding neighbourhood. Council agreed to initiate the amendment process, which includes the opportunity for a public hearing before a commissioner.

Paradise council discovers cost of what doesn’t lie beneath

By Mark Squibb

The Town of Paradise has had to pony up nearly $43,000, less HST, because of inaccurate infrastructure drawings.

Councillor Erin Furlong brought the matter forward during the Town’s May 12 committee of the whole meeting.

Furlong explained the drawings of infrastructure already in the ground at Carberry Place, which are needed to design the connection of a new watermain, turned out to be incorrect.

The drawings had been drafted after water and sewer was installed on nearby Duff’s Crescent years ago, and were provided to the Town by the prime consultant at the time. The drawings indicated that a thrust block, commonly used as a support in pipeline systems, had been installed. But the thrust block wasn’t actually installed.

“It seems the contractor didn’t do some of the work that was required, and the prime consultant had said it was done, when it wasn’t, when they provided this information to the Town,” said Furlong. “There was a thrust block on the watermain that was not put in place, which is what made the work a little more complicated.”

The mistake wasn’t noticed until Black Diamond dug down into the ground. The thrust block was then installed by the company at a cost of $37,301, plus HST.

Councillor Glen Carew asked whether the Town was billed for the original work that was not actually completed by the previous contractor, whom council did not name.

Staff did not have the answer on hand, but both Furlong and Mayor Patrick Martin said staff should be able to get the answer within a couple of days. Carew indicated he would like to have the answer before the matter was put to a vote.

Carew also asked whether there would be any recourse given Paradise is now spending $37,000, less the HST, for work that should have been already completed.

“My thought is, are we paying twice for the same work,” said Carew. “It’s a $37,000 bill. I know it’s a big project, and this is probably small in comparison to the overall scope of the project, but the as-builts showed the thrust block, and now we’ve got to put it in, so I was wondering if there was any recourse for us.”

Chief Administrative Officer Lisa Niblock said the matter is a legal one and needs to be discussed in private.

Council agreed to discuss the legal ramifications in more detail at a later time. The extra cost of doing the work was approved at the next regular public meeting.