Dwelling units on Waterfowl Lane similar to the ones JN Lafford Realty Inc. is planning for its new project on Wright St. and Fawcett Ave.

Sackville Town Council has passed a resolution that could clear the way for a big housing project on 22-acres of land at the ends of Wright Street and Fawcett Avenue.

Council passed the resolution during its meeting on Monday in response to an application from JN Lafford Realty Inc. for changes to the town’s zoning bylaws.

The Laffords want to build a series of single-level, multi-unit dwellings for older people as well as a nursing care or assisted living facility.

John Lafford says that in the first phase of the project, he’s aiming for 24 to 30 mainly two-bedroom apartments similar to the ones his company has already built on Waterfowl Lane and at 32 King Street.

“Those are the exact buildings that we’re going to replicate because that’s what the demand is,” he said during a telephone interview with Warktimes. “We’re not trying to step outside the box here and do something different, we’re doing what is working,” he added.

“It’s basically a village within a village, it’s just a retirement community,” Lafford said. “On those sites, you’ll have one-level living, barrier-free units for the aging population.”

Large-scale project

John Lafford addressing town council in 2018

Lafford says he’s hoping to have phase one completed next summer, although he says it may not be ready until the summer of 2021.

After that, his company is planning to build the assisted care facility that may be two storeys and then a second phase of 24-30 single-level dwelling units.

“It’s definitely a volume project,” Lafford says. “Maybe there’ll be another phase,” he adds, “and maybe we’ll get 100 units over seven to 10 years. Maybe it will only be 80.”

He acknowledges that planning is in the early stages.

“It’s very early, but very real, we’re going to be doing it,” he says. “It’s just a matter of how long it takes and when we start.”

Rezoning process

Before the Lafford project could start, however, town council would need to make several changes to its Municipal Plan, Bylaw 243 as well as the Town of Sackville Zoning Bylaw 244:

• • The Highway Commercial zone area which abuts Wright Street would need to be re-zoned as Urban Residential to allow for a combination of multi-unit dwellings and a nursing home or assisted living facility. In addition, the land for the senior/nursing care facility would need to be re-designated as Urban Residential 3 (R3) to allow for higher residential density.
  • The property located at the end of Fawcett Avenue would need to be re-zoned from Urban Residential 1 (R1) to Urban Residential 2 (R2) to permit single-level, multi-units ranging from four to six unit buildings.
  • The zoning bylaw which allows senior/nursing care facilities in an Institutional zone would need to be amended to allow such facilities in the Urban Residential 3 (R3) zone.

To read the two-page Preliminary Staff Report that was presented to town council on the Lafford application for re-zoning, click here.

Council resolution

In a unanimous vote, town council passed a resolution agreeing to consider the Lafford application; referring it to the Southeast Planning Review and Adjustment Committee for its views; setting the council meeting of October 15 for a public presentation on council’s intentions to amend the Municipal Plan Bylaw and setting November 12 at 7 p.m. for a public hearing to consider any objections.

New Lafford building nearing completion

Lafford building in the heart of downtown

Meantime, John Lafford says the controversial, upscale building for older tenants that his company is building on the old United Church property could be finished in about two weeks.

He adds that about 80% of its 35 apartments are already rented.

“Things are going just fine there,” he said.