Eastgate Village, Proposal from ELCE Developments (Provided by City of Moncton)
During a lengthy public hearing over the proposed Eastgate Village subdivision, strong voices both for and against the 956-unit development were heard on Monday night.
Despite a plea from Mayor Dawn Arnold to turn down the proposal, Moncton City Council narrowly voted 6-5 in favour of the subdivision off Elmwood Drive across from Irishtown Nature Park.
Both Moncton city staff and the Planning Advisory Committee didn’t recommend approval since the project goes against the city’s municipal plan and falls just outside the serviceable urban boundary for water and sewer services.
The ambitious development on 138 acres of land would include single family homes, townhouses, apartments, a daycare, a private school and a nature market.
Developer Bill Hennessey, who represented the applicant ELCE Developments Inc., told Moncton Council the city faces a housing crisis fueled by rapid growth.
“We need population in order to keep growing and developing. Every business person you talk to needs people to get hired. So we need the population growth, which is great, they’re coming. We have the jobs for them, which is great. The next question is, where are they going to live?”
Hennessey said home builders are finding it difficult to find vacant lots in the city since many current landowners don’t want to sell their land.
“Go on MLS today and there are 36 building lots that are serviced in the city. Amongst them listed for sale, 22 of them are in Royal Oaks and have been for years.”
Hennessey didn’t want to speculate on Royal Oaks but noted there are only 14 building lots available today outside that subdivision.
Mayor Arnold said the city has focused on smart growth and approval of this project would toss that plan out the window.
“Which basically means that we don’t know what the long term costs of this development may be to the city. We certainly learned with Moncton High School that there were many unexpected costs when we expand beyond our serviceable boundary. So how can we possibly say this when we currently have an escalating infrastructure deficit of $231.5 million within our existing boundary right now.”
Several councillors said they were conflicted about this issue and had even lost sleep over it.
City staff said about 18 individuals had sent communications about the application with 15 being opposed and three in support.
A number of residents addressed council during the public hearing and the majority of those who spoke were against it.
The narrow 6-5 approval gave the project first reading and it will have second and third readings at an upcoming council meeting.
The yea votes were from Councillors Shawn Crossman, Paulette Theriault, Daniel Bourgeois, Dave Steeves, Paul Richard and Deputy Mayor Bryan Butler.
The nay votes were from Mayor Arnold along with Councillors Monique LeBlanc, Charles Leger, Susan Edgett and Marty Kingston.
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