from today's T&T:
http://22864.vws.magma.ca/index.php?&article_id=11163
Mill Road land zoning to change
Tuesday, June 04, 2013
Times & Transcript
By: Brent Mazerolle
Properties losing industrial zoning in effort to deal with Champlain School concerns
Moncton city council took a couple of concrete steps toward confronting the issue of Champlain School's placement amid one of Moncton's oldest industrial areas.
One was to rezone a few properties currently zoned for industrial use but are not currently being used that way, ensuring that no further industrial development begins.
The other big step was to formally assert, 'that because the city was not responsible for the location of the school, the city will not fund any of the business relocation costs,' should it come to that.
What will ultimately happen is still undecided, but there are essentially three options - living with the status quo, moving the school, or moving at least some of the neighbouring businesses.
Air quality at the elementary school, which is wedged between industrial operations on MacAleese Lane, Toombs Street, and Mill Road, has been a concern for years. However, because industrial activity in the area predates the school by decades - by more than a century, actually - the city has no right to evict the businesses.
'The city's hands are tied in some ways because the businesses have been there so long, they have a legal right to continue, even if the city rezoned the lands,' said Mayor George LeBlanc.
The school was built in the late 1960s, when environmental concerns were given less thought. Some of the nearby industrial activities, including an asphalt plant, a scrapyard, a Department of Transport maintenance garage and the transcontinental rail line were all there before the school. However, zoning of the area has also allowed new businesses to establish since the opening of the school.
Last night's vote was to heed a recommendation from Moncton's municipal plan review committee to rezone the site of the former President's Tire, land vacant for several years following a fire. The empty land, at 201 Mill Rd., would be zoned suburban commercial, which would allow a number of non-industrial business uses, but also multiple-unit housing. Planning department director Bill Budd told council the landowner is in fact looking at building some sort of multiple-unit housing.
Meanwhile, properties at 225, 233, 243 and 247 Mill Road would all get an R-2U residential zoning. Though they are zoned for industrial use now, they have homes on them.
In keeping with all rezonings, there will be a public presentation on the proposed changes at the next council meeting June 17 and a public hearing on the matter at the city council meeting of Aug. 19.
Council voted unanimously to support both the rezoning motion and the resolution to assert the city's lack of responsibility for the school location. The motion does, however, open the door to offering some sort of assistance with land if any business chooses to relocate.
Personal note - I have always thought that a very odd and unfortunate location for a school. It should never have been built there. Having said that though, I am not necessarily in favour of relocating the school. There are many other schools in the province that are far older and in greater need of replacement than Ecole Champlain. In any event, this is really the provinces problem, not the city's. The city has done the right thing in rezoning the area so that no additional industrial enterprises will set up shop.
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