CBRM clears path for commercial development at historic church

Cape Breton regional council has cleared the way for a commercial development at the former Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sydney.

Developer Kevin Colford plans to convert the 140-year-old church into a venue for business meetings and fine dining.

On Tuesday, council unanimously voted to eliminate the need for the church to create more than 80 parking spaces as part of the North End planning strategy and land-use bylaw.

Mayor Amanda McDougall said changing the municipal planning rules was the right thing to do.

"It's nice to have that part of this process concluded, and for council to recognize and be unified on the fact that we do value development like we see from Kevin and the Sacred Heart church," she said.

Nearly 90 people made submissions to a public hearing on changes to the planning rules, with none opposed to the development.

Most said parking is not a problem, but some criticized council, saying CBRM should not be finding ways to block business growth.

McDougall said council moved as quickly as it couldgiven the provincial process for making planning changes.

"What people sometimes don't realize is that we, municipal units across the province, are creations of the province," she said.

"We don't necessarily have the authority to do much when it comes to development and working outside of the Municipal Government Act."

Coun. Eldon MacDonald, whose district includes the historic North End neighbourhood, took exception to people complaining that council was somehow blocking business development.

He said the inclusion of parking requirements under municipal planning rules comes from the province and from the people who lived in the neighbourhood years ago.

"The residents of the North End wanted to make sure that their residential neighbourhood was a good neighbourhood to live [in]. They approached CBRM to put a strategy in placeand asked if CBRM would work with them to do that," he said.

McDougall said the province has to sign off now that council has OK'd the development, and thenthe developer can apply for a permit and open his business.

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