[Moncton] Northwest/Magnetic Hill Developments

[MonctonRad]

Here's some more information regarding the proposed professional building at Mountain/Bulman:

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Moncton is considering an amendment to the Municipal Plan By-law # Z-113, being By- law # Z-113.30 which proposes to re-designate PID 70463880 and a portion of PID 70463898 at the corner of Bulman Drive and Mountain Road from NH (Neighbourhood) to MUC (Mixed Use Centers and Corridors).

The proposed amendment would allow for the property to be rezoned from from R3 (Multiple Unit Dwelling) to SC (Suburban Commercial) to accommodate the development of a four storey commercial / medical office and clinic facing Mountain Road.

A public presentation to inform the public of the proposed changes will be held Monday, July 5, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers

Area to be rezoned, and locator map:


Front Elevation:


Ground Level Floor Plan (showing proposed restaurant and pharmacy)


Front Rendering:


Left Front Rendering (showing entrance to underground parking)


Rendering of Apartment Building (to be located in behind).


Three comments:

1) - Riberview expressed some concern regarding how close this development will be to Tiffany Court, but I believe the area to be rezoned only includes the shaded in area on the site plan above, and thus will not be too close to the court in behind. There will also be a buffer between this development and the townhomes on Bulman (although they have a right to be a little more pissed off).
2) - The ground floor plans for the restaurant and the pharmacy in this building are very detailed. I would assume this means that they already have confirmed tenants for these two spaces.
3) - It's interesting to see from the left front rendering that there will be underground parking in the building, in addition to the surface parking lot. I presume the underground parking will be for tenants and staff of the building.

[MonctonRad]

The apartment building being built by Quest Investments on Lady Ada Boulevard now has a name - Vizion (by Quest)

No additional images or floor plans yet, but there will be 102 "mid to high end" units, with rental prices ranging from $1,250 - 1,600 per month.



I drove by today, and the foundation has been fully installed. The superstructure will be going up next.

[Monctoncore]

I could see Lawton’s possibly going in as the pharmacy. Shoppers and Jean Coutu both have locations on that side of wheeler, but the closest Lawton’s is on Mapleton rd. The other could be. Guardian Pharmacy or medicine shop, but I feel like those would be long shots.

[MonctonRad]

This could potentially be a controversial proposal:

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Moncton is considering amending the Zoning By-Law Z-220.

The purpose of the proposed Zoning By-law amendment, being By-law Z-220.11 is to rezone a portion of 1888 Mountain Road (PID 00938209) from R2 Two Unit Dwelling Zone to SC Suburban Commercial Zone

The proposed amendment would allow the construction of single storey self-storage lockers.

Aerial localization map:


Site plan:


Rendering:


This proposal is for property cheek by jowl next to pre-existing single family homes on Galbraith Crescent and Morningside Drive. It would be hard to imagine that existing property owners will be happy about this since this land is immediately adjacent to their backyards. Expect vigorous objections at the upcoming public meeting.........

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

This could potentially be a controversial proposal:



Aerial localization map:


Site plan:


Rendering:


This proposal is for property cheek by jowl next to pre-existing single family homes on Galbraith Crescent and Morningside Drive. It would be hard to imagine that existing property owners will be happy about this since this land is immediately adjacent to their backyards. Expect vigorous objections at the upcoming public meeting.........

This right here is why not all NIMBYism is bad. They have every right to object to storage huts emerging feet from their houses in a clearly suburban area.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

This right here is why not all NIMBYism is bad. They have every right to object to storage huts emerging feet from their houses in a clearly suburban area.

I was thinking the exact same thing! I don’t think this will pass for that very reason. If there was some sort of buffer it wouldn’t be as bad.

[BlackYear]

It could still be done with a larger buffer zone protected by trees. I think that would make everyone happy.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by BlackYear

It could still be done with a larger buffer zone protected by trees. I think that would make everyone happy.

This is apparently what councillors at the city council meeting suggested too. It will be interesting to see what the input at the public meeting will reveal. I suspect PAC will probably put an end to this, or suggest significant revisions to the proposal.

The proposal as it currently stands is a non starter as far as I'm concerned. The neighbouring landowners have a right to be upset.

[MonctonRad]

From 91.9 FM, The Bend:

A proposed self-storage facility received the first reading to rezone the Mountain Road lot, but the development will need to alter its plans.

City staff presented the rezoning application to Moncton City Council with the recommendation that they do not proceed. Located at 1888 Mountain Road, staff said the proposed development is not in an ideal location.

The storage units would sit behind a strip mall in proximity to several homes. Deputy Mayor Charles Leger questioned whether the due diligence had been done to proceed with the development.

The City of Moncton’s Director of Planning and Development Bill Budd acknowledged the concerns, noting that the developer will have to scale back the proposed 73-unit facility.

In addition, the developer would be subject to several conditions that include a security deposit of $36,000 for the required trees and landscaping, as well as the installation of a suitable fence.

Budd says he expects a revised site plan for the public hearing on August 16.

Good!

[Whitites]

Actually if the residents really think about it, this means nobody will be building houses in their backyard compromising their privacy plus all the activity will be on the opposite side since all they will see is the back of the units. If I was a local resident I would be all for it, sure throw in a few nice trees or a edge, maybe be even a grape vine cling fence as long as the owner maintains the back of the property.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by Whitites

Actually if the residents really think about it, this means nobody will be building houses in their backyard compromising their privacy plus all the activity will be on the opposite side since all they will see is the back of the units. If I was a local resident I would be all for it, sure throw in a few nice trees or a edge, maybe be even a grape vine cling fence as long as the owner maintains the back of the property.

Most owners of storage facilities don’t do a great job of maintaining the back of the property. All they care about is people pay their fees on time.

[MonctonRad]

Traffic lights have now been installed at the corner of Mountain Rd. & Charles Lutes Rd. They have not yet been activated.

Traffic lights will also shortly be installed at the corner Of Mountain Rd. & Ensley Dr. I wonder if they won't hold off on activation until this other set of lights has also been installed, and then do them both at the same time. Since these lights are only a couple of hundred metres from each other, this would make sense.

[mylesmalley]

I was really surprised to see them at Charles Lutes.

[Riberview]

It's too bad they couldn't get the Hwy 2 ramp to line up with Ensley Drive. Such a busy area..

[Whitites]

Okay people, you can go back to driving 90 like idiots, they paved over the newly installed sewer and water mains for 2430 Mountain Road.

[MonctonRad]

The Magnetic Hill Zoo has long since had lions and tigers and bears, now it plans to add penguins and giraffes too! (oh my).

Penguins, giraffes, wild dogs and hogs eyed for Moncton zoo expansion
Councillors hear plans for three-phase expansion of Magnetic Hill Zoo
Shane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Jul 26, 2021 5:50 PM AT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/moncton-magnetic-hill-zoo-expansion-council-1.6117842

The zoo has planned for the last 4-5 years to add an ambitious African themed exhibit area. Consultants made a presentation to city council today, with this multimillion dollar expansion now planned to be even more grandiose than originally envisioned.

Moncton will consider a multi-year, multimillion-dollar African safari-themed expansion of the Magnetic Hill Zoo.

A master plan and feasibility study of a three-phase expansion were presented to Moncton councillors during a committee meeting Monday.

Councillors directed staff to further examine the idea through an economic impact study, go ahead with preliminary design work and bring detailed cost estimates to the city's 2022 budget deliberations this fall.

Although expensive, consultants feel that this expansion will result in annual visits to the zoo to rise to 250,000/yr from the current 180,000/yr.

The expansion would also include more indoor habitats or covered viewing areas to help extend how long the zoo can be open in the spring and fall.

Jill Marvin, the director of the zoo, said some animals sensitive to colder temperatures can't stay outside on display, so it limits the time the zoo can be open. More enclosed habitats — or covered viewing spaces — will help the zoo stay open longer.

Phase one of the expansion would cost $7.6M and phase two would cost $11.2M. Phase three has not been costed, but since this phase will include the giraffe exhibit, it will likely also be very expensive (more than $10M).


Phase one will include an indoor penguin exhibit


Phase two will include an African safari adventure, with rides though a large paddock containing African ungulates.


Phase three will include the giraffe exhibit.

Other themed buildings and an events pavilion are also planned.

Personally I think it's high time that the city make a significant investment in the zoo. It is the only real zoo in Atlantic Canada, and it's about time that we started playing with the big boys like Granby or Calgary. The zoo is a major attraction for the whole Moncton area, especially when combined with the adjacent Magic Mountain theme park.

[Monctoncore]

I agree with MonctonRad, the zoo has done a lot for the city in the form of tourism and they have done a lot on their own. All of it mostly through donations and their own revenue. I know some people will complain and worry about what it could cost in the short term, but the long term gains will be great for the city.

[Riberview]

Originally Posted by Whitites

Okay people, you can go back to driving 90 like idiots, they paved over the newly installed sewer and water mains for 2430 Mountain Road.

Don't mind if I do

[josh_cat_eyes]

Phase 1 of the zoo expansion would be completed by 2024 and would house the Penguins. It would also include rebuilding the lemur exhibit and providing more indoor or covered viewing areas. That would extend the time the zoo can be open in the spring and fall. 

Phase 2 of the expansion would be completed in 2027 and would house the African safari through an area with eland, zebras and kudu. The 2nd phase would also build new otter and flamingo exhibits, a rivers-to-oceans themed building, among other changes. 

Phase 3 wasn't costed in the master plan and doesn't have a timeline. It would feature an events building, exhibits for giraffes, African wild dogs, Colobus monkeys and Red River hogs. 

[MonctonRad]

Yes, the plan would amount to a major refresh for large portions of the zoo. Another thing you didn't mention was a new expanded exhibit space for the African lions (presumably to integrate it into the new African themed portion of the zoo).

The original plans for the expansion (from 4-5 years ago) also included an African village, which would include food vendors, minor exhibits and a public space, which would be central to the African themed portion of the park, and would serve as the launching pad for the African Safari ride. I wonder if this is still on the table?

Done correctly, the Magnetic Hill Zoo could become one of the signature tourism attractions in all of Atlantic Canada.

According to the T&T, the project will be dependent on federal and provincial funding contributions as well as private donors. I wonder how much money the city itself expects to cough up? I expect the whole project will be ~$30M spread over about 8-10 years.