Municipal District of St. Stephen Council Tackles Housing, Infrastructure, and Public Safety

On May 29, 2024, the Municipal District of Saint Stephen held its regular council meeting, chaired by Mayor Allan MacEachern. The meeting covered a wide range of topics, including zoning bylaws, library board renewals, infrastructure updates, and public safety concerns.

The session began with a public hearing on Zoning Bylaw Z-3-03, which proposed rezoning for a new housing development on Main Street. Xander Gopen, a senior planner with the Southwest Project Services Commission, detailed the application for a five-unit apartment building aimed at providing affordable, rent-geared-to-income housing. The project, led by HousingNB, aligns with both provincial interests and the municipal plan to address the town's affordable housing shortage. There were no public objections, and the council approved the second and third readings of the bylaw.

In new business, the council approved the renewal of Mary Hill's term on the Saint Croix Public Library Board and named two new private drives: Croixview Lane and Thomas Creek Lane. Sean Morton, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Infrastructure explained the careful process of naming private lanes to avoid conflicts with existing road names in the emergency response system.

Council also discussed a memo from Assistant Deputy Minister Jennifer Wilkins about consolidating three taxation subunits into a single rural taxation subunit. Chief Administrative Officer Jeff Renaud outlined the administrative and financial benefits of this consolidation, which the council approved.

Several policies were approved, including the electronic sign policy, the Council Grants Program policy, and the fee waiver and reduction request policy, aimed at streamlining administrative processes and improving public services.

In infrastructure matters, council redirected $100,000 from the 2024 Road Surface Renewal Budget to the 2024 Sidewalk Renewal Budget. Morton provided updates on infrastructure projects, including line painting, street paving, and pothole repairs, and highlighted the urgent need for a pump rebuild at the King Street lift station.

Public safety was another key focus, with Morton advising residents on measures to deter bears and addressing issues related to unsightly premises and homeless encampments. Councilor Joyce Wright inquired about the new public works approvals process, which Morton explained involves additional steps to prevent future infrastructure issues.

The meeting concluded with the approval of David Archibald as a shareholder representative and director of the Bayside Port Corporation, replacing William Young.