A 290-Unit project given the go-ahead

A project with 290 housing units on a wooded area in Châteauguay that borders Kahnawake will be able to move forward. City council approved the required zoning change by a majority vote on March 15. The new zoning allows for self-contained single-family dwellings, as well as semi-detached and row houses. The previous zoning allowed for detached multi-family dwellings of four to six units. In accordance with the law, a consultation was held regarding the zoning modification. No request for a referendum was filed following the public notice issued by the city in September of 2020. Councillor François Le Borgne was surprised by that. “When was this deadline for filing a request for a referendum? I ask the question because 92 people attended the public consultations, 84 of which opposed the project,” he informed. “I am somewhat surprised that no one requested a referendum.” Citizens could have submitted a request for a referendum during the consultation period, confirmed Mr. George Dolhan, City Clerk. Mr. Le Borgne suggested an additional period for filing a request for a referendum. His suggestion was not approved. The zoning change was approved by all councillors with the exception of Mr. Le Borgne. Kahnawake At the outset, the developer sought to build 500 dwellings. Kahnawake had expressed some concerns about the project in December of 2018. In an interview on K103 radio, the late Grand Chief Joe Norton had said he dreaded an intensification of traffic on the reserve. For its part, the City of Châteauguay has been concerned about the future of the land bordering the reserve. On March 15, Mayor Pierre-Paul Routhier explained that he had been in discussions with people from Kahnawake in February. “They do not yet have a specific plan regarding the use of that specific sector. What was agreed upon by the end of that meeting was that we would keep one another updated on our respective developments,” he stated. “We have just modified the zoning. There will not be construction for two or three years, but we will inform one another as a courtesy so that we can move forward together,” the city magistrate observed.   The 290 planned units 38 self-contained single-family dwellings; 34 single family semi-detached dwellings; 218 single family row houses. (Source : Ville de Châteauguay)