Council’s reasoning for denying the permit was that the proposed development is not an accessory to a main use in the resource management and/or comprehensive development area — residential zones. A second permit from the Roses for an extension to an existing shed on land north of Hillier Avenue was also denied for the same reason.
Council previously denied a request from the Roses’ daughter Jennifer and her fiancé Tony Powell for the rezoning of a five-acre piece of land north of Hillier Avenue from comprehensive development area residential, to rural residential. The town also denied their request to revise a Municipal Plan Policy to include the rural residence zone in the areas not requiring connection to municipal water and sewer.
Council maintains the current intent of the policy is that the two areas established to accommodate unserviced development are Cold Brook and Noel’s Pond. All urban areas must be connected to municipal water and sewer services, the town says.
Mayor Tom O’Brien said the permits were denied because they are not an effective and efficient use of land. O’Brien said the more people hooked into the municipal water system, the more cost effective it becomes for all. He said higher land densities ensure road networks are more effectively used and helps with the town’s ability to maintain such infrastructure.
“Density or lack of density impacts the town’s ability to acquire capital works funding,” O’Brien said.
The mayor said if council allows this development to go ahead, it is setting up the Stephenville taxpayers up to deal with millions of dollars in costs in the future to install required services.
Tom Rose reacted to O’Brien’s comments after the meeting, telling council he would have a better chance of getting a permit “from Mr. (Vladimir) Putin.”
O’Brien later said neither he nor his councillors appreciated being likened to a communist or being compared to the Russian president.
Joanne Rose said being denied these permits is beyond frustrating.
“As far as we can see, we have everything the regulations require and we can’t understand why it was turned down,” she said.
Her husband said it shows once again council is doing everything possible to shut down the rights of private landowners and rural living opportunities in Stephenville.
“The mayor attempts to justify council’s decision without logic, evidence and common sense,” he said, adding it’s time for a private landowners association to be formed to ensure their rights are upheld.
“We don’t want 20 new houses on our property, just our children to build their homes on our land and a new barn to store our equipment.”
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