On a quiet rise in Truro known locally as the Hill on the Top of Young Street, a family that has tended horses, kept hens and kept bees for generations is bracing for change.
Developers from Halifax-based 4378018 Nova Scotia Limited have submitted plans for a 231-unit complex at 656 Young St. The proposed project would include three six-storey apartment buildings and 23 townhouse units sited steps from the Paris family homestead, which has been in the area since the time of the family’s grandfather.
“They were trying to farm and it was so damn rocky, they couldn't farm,” said Alex Paris, recalling family history on the property. His son, Aaron Paris, now keeps bees on part of the homestead and sells honey to supplement the family income. The Parises say the land carries deep personal and cultural significance; they also value the privacy and open space the property affords.
“I will never leave because it means too much to me, this land, just too much to me. And I get a lot of privacy right now.”
The development proposal, led by developers Boston Ghosn, Mark Ghosn and Jeremy Ghosn, has been in the public record since 2024. Multiple attempts by CBC News to reach the developer for comment were unsuccessful.
How close is the new construction?
Since the initial proposal, the setback for a six-storey building along the property line shared with the Parises has been revised. The current site plan now places the six-storey structure just over 13 metres from the family’s lot line. For the Parises, that distance is too small to protect the rural feeling they have long enjoyed.
| Item | Planned |
|---|---|
| Apartment buildings | 3 (six storeys each) |
| Townhouses | 23 units |
| Total units proposed | 231 |
| Setback from Paris property line | Just over 13 metres (current plan) |
Neighbouring residents and the Parises are not alone in watching the file closely. The Hill on the Top of Young Street is one of three historically African Nova Scotian communities in Truro. Longstanding ties to land and community continuity are factors that residents say should be given weight in municipal deliberations.
Concerns and context
The family has expressed several specific concerns about the development: loss of privacy, impact on horses and small-scale farming uses, shading and the effect of taller buildings on the character of the street. Aaron Paris has asked the developer to alter the site plan to move the nearest six-storey building farther away from their property.
Municipal planning must balance those local impacts with policy goals, including increasing housing supply. The proposal would add a substantial number of units to Truro’s housing inventory, but it also raises questions about integration with the existing neighbourhood and protections for adjacent properties.
No public comment from the developer was available at the time of reporting, and the municipality’s next steps will determine whether changes to the plan are made before approvals are considered.
What’s next for the neighbourhood
The project remains a live planning matter. Residents who want to follow or weigh in on the proposal should monitor municipal planning notices and information sessions for updates. Key points affected parties may wish to watch include:
- Revisions to the site plan, particularly any changes to setbacks or building heights
- Any heritage or community-impact assessments related to historically African Nova Scotian neighbourhoods
- Public consultation opportunities and municipal council or planning board meetings
For the Paris family, the stakes are personal: they fear losing the solitude and small-scale agricultural activities that have defined the property for generations. For the wider town, the development presents a test of how to grow housing supply while respecting the character and history of existing communities.
As Truro considers the application, the conversation will likely hinge on whether adjustments can be made to address neighbours’ concerns without undermining the scale of the proposed housing contribution.
Reporting from the Hill on the Top of Young Street — where the hum of bees and the creak of a barn door meet a debate over the town’s future — underlines the local trade-offs at the heart of municipal planning across Nova Scotia.
