More than 100 people turned out to a meeting at the Halifax Forum last night to discuss the future of a vacant lot on Chebucto Road.

This lot at 6482 Chebucto Road has been vacant for two years. Prior to that, it was an Ultramar gas station. (Anjuli Patil/CBC News) There is a proposal from Banc Development to build a five-storey apartment or condo at the site where, two years ago, there used to be a gas station.

The plan includes 52 living spaces, 42 underground parking spots, 10 above ground parking spots, plus commercial space on the ground floor of the building.

For the project to move forward, The Halifax land use bylaw would need to be changed and that is not going over well with residents who live near the site.

Richard Rudnicki started the Facebook page Our Chebucto Neighbourhood to keep his neighbours in the loop about what was happening with the site. He said he does not like the current plan.

"The thing looks like a Pez dispenser. It's ugly," said Rudnicki, who lives a few doors down from the site.

Parking concerns

Rudnicki's wife, Susan Tooke, said she has lived in West End Halifax since 1991. She said she's concerned about safety issues surrounding the extra traffic. She said too often rules get bent for developers.

"There's construction being put down, plopped into neighbourhoods where it's not the appropriate height and they're ignoring the bylaws, the established guidelines that the rest of us have to live by," said Tooke.

European Pantry is located next to the lot. The deli's owner, Bill Riley, said he would be happy to see extra customers, but also said he is not sold when it comes to safety.

"Our concern is that they're having the entrance to their parking garage right across the street here and we have a very dangerous situation with the crosswalk and the streets are not aligned and we hear screeching brakes all the time, close calls," said Riley.

Across the street from the vacant lot, Kenneth Francis, owner of the restaurant Fries and Co. said he doesn't mind the proposed building, but he said street parking could become a big problem.

"I could just see all the roads clogged up with cars and local businesses around here are going to suffer because of it." said Francis.

It could be a while before anything is actually built on the vacant lot. City staff need to draft a report for Halifax and West Community Council. The next step in the process is a public hearing.