A public outcry against a proposed crematorium in Armdale has scuttled the plan, at least temporarily.
Halifax regional council voted 10-9 on Tuesday against sending to the public consultation phase a proposal by J. Albert Walker Funeral Home to upgrade and expand its facility at 149 Herring Cove Rd.
The funeral home, which lies below three apartment units, had proposed to develop an on-site crematorium on the adjacent property at 147 Herring Cove Rd.
The owners had mailed out information pamphlets detailing their expansion plans, which included upgrades to the existing building, where the company has been since 1962.
Concerned residents soon started contacting Coun. Linda Mosher (Purcells Cove-Armdale), who voted against the application.
“I felt that there was no need to initiate a public process because, essentially, it had already begun,” Mosher said, in reference to the notices sent out by the funeral home.
“The reaction was very prompt and very negative about the application and I received at least 20 emails against the project, and continued calls.”
The request would have required amendments to the Halifax municipal planning strategy and the Halifax Mainland land-use bylaw because of zoning changes are needed.
The neighbouring property at 147 Herring Cove Rd., the proposed site, is zoned general residential and designated for medium-density residential use. The property would have to be rezoned as minor commercial, and another amendment would be needed to permit crematorium services.
“To go from a residential to a commercial and then to change the entire commercial definition to include a crematorium is a large departure,” Mosher said.
“(Residents) did not feel that it should be zoned commercial, and they did not feel that a crematorium was a compatible use to the neighbourhood. They felt that it would reduce their property values, some brought up environmental concerns.”
Council’s decision was not anticipated by owners, said Gerard Daly, a New Brunswick consultant on the project.
“What the purpose of the whole thing (Tuesday) evening was to permit us to go to the neighbourhood and actually explain what we were doing,” Daly said in a phone interview.
“And there’s no question we’re extremely disappointed that we weren’t given that opportunity. We’re not only disappointed, but we were surprised we weren’t allowed to do that.
“We went in advance and told the neighbourhood that we were applying to (the municipality) and it was conditional on them approving it, but we wanted to let them know that we were doing this.
“We’ve had letters of support and we’ve had concerns from people who were not in favour, and that would actually be the purpose of having a public information session.”
