At Monday night’s regular meeting of Amherst Town Council, members voted to approve amendments to the pdf Sidewalk and Curb Construction Policy (1.90 MB) , including language updates to specify that any sidewalk construction projects moving forward will involve replacement of existing brick pavers with concrete, to improve accessibility. Language will also be added to the policy that will ensure the use of tactile warning indicator plates at crosswalks, to improve accessibility for the visually impaired.
This policy was reviewed by the Accessibility Advisory Committee who provided their recommendations for Council’s consideration.
Staff will prepare a long-range brick paver replacement plan and include brick paver replacements in future capital budgets for consideration.
Appointments of Members of Council to External Boards, Committees and Commissions Policy
Following the municipal election in October, Council completed a review of external Boards, Committees and Commissions to which they appoint members of Council. Amendments to Appendix A of the pdf Appointment of Members of Council to External Boards, Committees and Commissions Policy (5.17 MB) were approved by Council on Monday night, to reflect the following appointments:
Cumberland Public Libraries Board: 1 Member appointed; Regional Emergency Management: 2 Members appointed; Northern Region Solid Waste: 1 Member appointed; Cumberland YMCA: 1 Member appointed; LA Animal Shelter: 1 Member appointed; Senior Safety Advisory Committee: 1 Member appointed; and, GFL Community Liaison Committee: 1 Member appointed.
The GFL Community Liaison Committee is a new addition to the list of member appointments, while members were not re-appointed to the Cornerstone Board of Directors or the Municipal Alcohol Project.
96 Church Street Development Agreement
Council gave Second and Final Reading on Monday night to the Development Agreement for 96 Church Street, to permit the conversion of that dwelling into a six-unit apartment building with a detached garden suite.
Following a December 2024 public participation opportunity where no comments from the public were received, the Planning Advisory Committee recommended that Council enter into the agreement. Council gave first reading at their regular meeting on January 27, 2025. A Public Hearing was held on February 12, 2025, no members of the public were in attendance and no members of Council had any questions or concerns.
This agreement will not only permit the creation of additional housing in a central location near downtown, but it will also result in the repurposing of a historically significant building that had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Details From the February 18 Committee of the Whole Meeting
- Presentation from Property Valuation Services Corporation: The committee received a presentation from Paul Beazley and Laura MacLean about the independent organization and their annual process of completing property assessments throughout Nova Scotia.
- Themed Crosswalks: Amherst Police Chief Dwayne Pike presented information obtained through a recent review of legislation and other studies related to crosswalks. Staff were directed to draft a policy for Council’s consideration.
- Anson Avenue CN Crossing: After a motion was passed at the January 20, 2025 Committee of the Whole meeting, staff began to investigate the feasibility of removing the CN crossing train whistle at the Anson Avenue crossing. Concerns were raised by members of Council about safety, and the Town’s costs associated with pursuing this initiative. A motion to include funding for a required study in the upcoming budget was defeated by a vote of 3-3.
Please visit our website for full details on the pdf February 18 Committee of the Whole meeting (5.73 MB) , as well as the pdf February 24 regular meeting of Amherst Town Council (3.08 MB) .
Direct enquiries to:
Sean Payne
Corporate Communications Officer
902-694-6265
