Concerned residents pack Belleville council chambers, December 4, 2017 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Members of the public packed Belleville council chambers at the city’s planning meeting Monday night, objecting to a proposed development in their neighbourhood.
Owners of a one acre site along Farnham Road at Maitland Drive, in Thurlow Ward, were seeking rezoning to allow three semi-detached homes and one three-storey 19 unit apartment building.
A long list of objectors at the podium pointed to loss of privacy and the traffic danger when a roundabout is added on the streets.
Tammy Robson called it “poor planning” and said she had safety concerns about a traffic roundabout scheduled for the streets. Robson pointed to the transport trucks that use the roadway and said the development would add four more entrances to an already busy roadway. She told the committee it would bring down the value of the houses in the area, and pointed to the fact the apartment building would be “less than one metre from our backyard.”
Adam Branbury told the committee tht he was a military member who had served his country for 30 years and had been asked by his neighbours to speak. He said, “I ask you to listen not to our words but our hopes, wants, and needs. Your decision affects our community,”
Belleville Councillor Paul Carr (File photo:: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Councillor Paul Carr, who introduced a motion to deny the project, said the city has to keep in mind how development affects property holders.
He asked himself the question, “Would I want development looking into my backyard, and God forbid, looking into my bedroom – the answer is NO.”
Resident Diane Turrell said she represented 34 residents of Canniff Mills who want the committee to deny the request and repeated concerns expressed by those speaking before her.
She later commented to Quinte News
Mike Keene representing the developers had asked the committee to defer the request until the developers could deal with the concerns raised.
The committee voted unanimously to deny the proposal.
