Wellington Street development opponents live across HRM
Petition organizers say they were surprised to see where some of the 1,042 signatures came from
Dino Capital wants planning rules changed so two towers — eight and 10 storeys high — can be built on Wellington Street.
City planning staff and two peninsular councillors have rejected the project. But suburban and rural councillors have moved the project through the development process.
David Jamieson, who lives next to the proposed Wellington site, says petition organizers were surprised to see where some of the 1,042 signatures came from.
"People who signed the petition represent all 16 HRM districts — that was a surprise to us — we didn't physically canvass in all those areas," he says.
Mary MacDonald, who also lives next to the proposed site, says that's because people all over the municipality are worried about developers being allowed to bend the rules.
"There’s supposedly a proposal around the Terence Bay area that they would like to put a highrise building. They said, ‘This is a rural community, we have a certain way of life, and the fact that you people are going through all of the problems with development — it can happen right in our area.’ They’re concerned about good development taking place in HRM," she says.
MacDonald says this is not an online petition, canvassers spoke to people face to face.
The proposed development spot is next to a green space with a soccer field that's used by many people.
Wellington Street residents plan to send the district breakdown of their petition to council before the public hearing and vote on Tuesday night.