Saint Andrews council has partially responded to a public hearing of objections held on the town’s draft municipal plan— with some councillors calling for civility, but others a more rigorous review of the plan.
The municipal plan is a 10-year overarching document on land use planning and development, most often accompanied by a more specific zoning bylaw.
A new plan was mandated by the province post amalgamation with an adoption deadline of January 2028. It has garnered interest by residents both in the town platt and rural areas, citing too much change relating to density and rules.
Several speakers took to the podium on Feb. 11 to voice objections to the plan.
Saint Andrews resident Charlie Creaser said the vision of the plan should come before its purpose, noting the direction coming from the provincial government.
“If you’re going to get this right, you better get some things lined up,” he said. “The most important aspect … is the last thing on the list on the left-hand column, which is maintaining the historical significance and the character of the Town of Saint Andrews.”
Others decried the plan’s options for density, particularly a plan to increase the number of dwelling units from four to eight. David Bizzo questioned the town’s ability to keep up with a growing population associated with increased density.
Helen-Anne Smith, who has lived in Saint Andrews her whole life, said the town needs housing, especially for business owners who are hiring staff.
“I want to keep my town small, don’t get me wrong here, but we have to have housing,” she said. “Try to hire staff. Try to find them a place to live. We have to have some place for people to go.”
Smith said not everybody can afford to come to Saint Andrews and purchase a home. The average home price in the community is $525,000 in Saint Andrews; and $507,000 in Chamcook and Bayside.
Coun. Darrell Weare brought up the hearing during the Feb. 17 regular meeting of council.
“I do think, somehow, we need a more rigorous review of this with the people of the municipality,” he said. “We’re elected to represent them, we’re not elected to rule them.”
Weare said he would support presentations by the community who want to express their concerns to the council.
Chief Administrative Officer Chris Spear said he agreed with Weare, telling the council the planners were gathering information based on the feedback already provided.
The council is expected to vote on a motion to hold another public presentation of the municipal plan on March 16 at the W.C. O’Neill Arena Complex.
It is also expected to vote on a public hearing of objections for the new draft zoning bylaw on March 16.
Coun. Kurt Gumushel, who was not in attendance but watched later, said he felt the pushback came from Bayside and Chamcook.
“I would like to remind everyone that it wasn’t the Town of Saint Andrews idea to amalgamate,” he said. “We’re sitting here with six councillors and then we amalgamated and it has been great … but it has definitely changed a lot of things that happened here in town with regard to our meetings and everything else.”
He called for a provincial representative to be present to explain to residents the changes made by the previous Progressive Conservative government’s decision to amalgamate many municipalities with parts of the local service districts (LSDs).
Weare added that there were as many residents from within the platt who objected to the plan as the rural wards, saying it couldn’t look at Bayside and Chamcook as the problem in the situation.
The Community Planning Act does outline the requirements for a municipal plan. Section 25(5) outlines what “shall” or must be included in a municipal plan.
Professor Emeritus for Toronto Metropolitan University David Amborski told The Courier in an interview communication with the public early on is key to developing a good municipal plan.
The New Brunswick Southwest Service Commission (SNBSC) began its work on this new plan back in 2023.
SNBSC said 11 public engagement sessions, separate from meetings with the council and planning advisory committee, where residents have had opportunities to provide feedback on the draft. The organization said a background study was published, as well.
“One of the things to be careful about, you have to try and find a balance between the public interest and the private interests,” Amborski said.
Across Canada, he said there is a need to increase the housing supply and to that serviceable land must be identified. It is typically done through special housing agencies or by using public land to build housing for the section of populations in communities who financially cannot afford market price.
“The other thing people keep talking about is you can build more density by allowing zoning in established single family neighbourhoods and that’s the pushback in every city coming across Canada,” he said. “You have to balance as a planner what the social benefit is of providing more of that with the private interest.
“If it is done in the proper way it’s not going to have a huge impact on housing and land values,” he said. “Many communities around the world have mixed densities, so it’s not totally unheard of.”
He said documents like these can be confusing. Amborski explained typically in planning you want to have a range of housing types available through different kinds of zones.
R-1 for example would be single family housing—but higher density, like 12 to 14 storey apartment buildings, may be excluded from those zones. R-3 would be higher intensity zoning, places where those apartments may fit. Those specifics are outlined in the draft zoning bylaw.
“But [if] you want to increase density [you do it] with gentle density and built form,” he said.
He said density often brings about fear connected to changing neighbourhoods.
“I do believe that a lot of the concern is rooted in change,” he said.
Amborski acknowledges Saint Andrews’ national historic designation and said that can be protected and restricted from development. Saint Andrews does have specific requirements for properties along Water Street—one of Canada’s National Historic Districts.
“So I think that needs to be preserved and I think it should be a primary goal and I think that can be achieved,” he said.
The municipal plan is draft document but could see first reading during Monday nights regular council meeting.
