Stellarton town council debated the effects of the housing crisis closeup at their regular monthly meeting on Monday.
Two developers are seeking a development agreement with the town to alter the buildings at 274 & 283 Foord Street to all residential space, adding 10 more units in total. This requires a zoning variance from council, as their location in the downtown core requires a certain amount of commercial space at street level.
Councilor Simon Lawand expressed reluctance to make the change, saying that setting a precedent of converting commercial space to residential – which is taxed at a lower rate – could erode the town’s tax base and deplete a needed source of revenue.
In his remarks, Councilor Brian Knight said that the town faces a dual problem of a rising need for homes, while seeing commercial space go vacant for months or even years at a time.
Knight also said that some vacant commercial space may already have been converted to residential without going through the proper channels, and that the developers are willing to build quality structures so as not to radically alter the look of downtown. In the end, council voted 3-1 to approve the agreement. Mayor Danny MacGillivary declared a conflict, and so did not take part in the discussion or the vote.