Article content“I think it should send a chill through any private landowner or developer in this city that HRM will pass bylaws to effectively steal private property and rezone it only for public use.”Article contentSpeaking to reporters during a break, Austin said council needs to adopt the bylaw first before any worry about that.Article content“Like any bylaw, it’s potentially open to challenge so certainly there are interests in this that could challenge us in court if that’s where it goes, but we’ll have to wait and see. First step is whether council wants to complete this or not.”Article content‘So thrilled’Article contentCouncil’s vote was a victory for the Friends of Dartmouth Cove.Article content“Honestly, I’m so thrilled,” said Katie McIntyre-Mills, a member of the community group, adding that she was hopeful council would make this move but that “it was still a bit of a long shot.”Article contentIt also proved that their efforts to get residents to write to councillors on the issue paid off.Article contentArticle contentAgainst itArticle contentCoun. David Hendsbee (Lawrencetown – The Lakes – Chezzetcook – Eastern Shore) and Mayor Andy Fillmore were again the two most vocal opponents to the bylaw.Article contentHendsbee repeated Tuesday that HRM should leave the issue of infilling to the federal government.Article content“It’s a road that’s not ours to travel,” he said.Article contentAnd Fillmore said, “I’ve got no particular stake in this.”Article contentArticle contentFillmore said he wasn’t supportive of moving forward with this because council should follow the Downtown Dartmouth Waterfront Revitalization visioning process and that he was concerned about a legal challenge and the costs associated with it.Article contentInfilling with a purpose is a good thing — just look at Kings Wharf, said Deputy Mayor Tony Mancini (Dartmouth East – Burnside). And while at first ARCP wasn’t clear on what they wanted to build on top of the infill, now there’s a plan for a green space and other improvements.Article content“The challenge is Dartmouthians don’t have trust in this company because of their behaviour,” he said, referring to ARCP installing barriers on a public trail last August.Article content A man paints over parts of a new sign posted along the Dartmouth Cove trail on Aug. 23. Atlantic Road Construction and Paving installed barriers on HRM-owned land and provincially owned land. Photo by Ryan Taplin /The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentMancini, who supported the bylaw, said he predicts council chambers will be full of people opposed to infilling for the public hearing, the bylaw will pass and it will be up to the province to make their move.Article content“Our role as councillors is to make a decision on what we think is the right thing to do,” not to anticipate what the province would want, Mancini said.Article content
Its us taking a stand: Public hearing coming up for infilling ban in Dartmouth Cove
