Moncton Council Approves Controversial Eastgate Subdivision
MONCTON – A controversial subdivision that has been the months-long subject of debate has earned a green light from Moncton City Council. The project will be add to housing stock off Elmwood Drive in an area of fast-paced development.
At its regular November 21 meeting, council approved second and third readings of a bylaw that will allow developer Bill Hennessey to proceed with the Eastgate subdivision, expanding the city’s serviceable boundaries to the proposed land.
This approval means the city will be extending water and sewer services to the 138-acre parcel of land off Elmwood Drive and north of the Granite Centre retail development near Costco.
In the second and third readings, Mayor Dawn Arnold, and councilors Charles Léger, Susan Edgett, and Monique Leblanc voted against the development.
RELATED: What’s Going On With Moncton’s Contentious Eastgate Development?
Hennessey, an outspoken proponent of more development to address housing needs, now has clearance to move forward with a project that will bring 956 residential units, a private school, daycare, and market to an area across Elmwood Drive from the Irishtown Nature Park.
Hennessy told Huddle earlier this month that he is willing to work with city planners to modify his plans to their needs, “making sure we’ve addressed all of their perspectives, whether it be trail systems or places for turning plows around.”
This brings to close a contentious debate between Hennessey, members of council, city planners, and local residents about the merits of bringing more housing to a city whose rate of population growth is outstripping its housing supply, versus concerns raised by residents and city planners who told council that the area Hennessey will develop is technically outside of city’s serviceable boundaries.
In a previous meeting in September, Moncton city planner Josh Adams cautioned council against approving the application, arguing that there was still room to develop 32,000 units on land within city limits – and that expanding the city’s serviceable boundaries would go against the municipal plan.
Hennessey has previously argued that it was too difficult for him to buy land for development already within the city’s serviceable boundaries, since its owners cannot be compelled to sell it, if they don’t want to.
During a public hearing in October, Arnold cautioned that approving Eastgate could result in unexpected costs – on top of a growing infrastructure deficit – if the city were to expand its serviceable boundaries to accommodate the development.
RELATED: Moncton Council Supports Elmwood Drive Subdivision
The initial vote split council down the middle, passing first reading by a narrow 6-5 margin.
RELATED: Three New Tenants Coming To Moncton’s Granite Centre
Also approved by council’s expansion of its serviceable boundary is the Vineyard subdivision, a low-to-medium-density residential development also near Granite Drive.
Sam Macdonald is a Huddle reporter in Moncton. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].