Changes Approved For Quispamsis Development

Quispamsis council has approved changes to a 100-unit apartment complex on Hampton Road.

Town council gave their initial approval to the Elmtree Hill Development complex last July.

But last month, the developer sought changes to the plan based on “current market conditions, neighbourhood appeal and affordability purposes.”

The initial application put forward by Ali Kamkar of Mahkam Living Ltd. included three, four-storey residential buildings with 40, 36 and 24 units.

The revised application would maintain the 100 units but instead have two, four-storey buildings with 50 units in each. In place of the original 24-unit building would be a single-storey onsite storage facility which would create more space for underground parking.

Kamkar also sought permission to use insulated concrete forms for construction rather than wood as initially planned.

During a public hearing Tuesday, nearby resident Sheila Henry maintained her opposition to the project.

Henry said the land is more suited for garden home development than it is for high-rise apartment living

She also expressed concerns on a number of topics ranging from the new building lengths to how accurate the traffic studies would be.

“With COVID and with the high school particularly not being in class and with online education, how can that even be an accurate study at this point in time,” said Henry.

Jonathon Rasenberg of Coldwell Banker Select Realty, who spoke on behalf of the developer, said lower traffic volumes will be taken into account in the study.

Deputy Mayor Libby O’Hara was the lone councillor to vote against the changes to the project.

O’Hara raised concerns about how much longer the two remaining buildings will be to accommodate the additional units.

“I was quite content to go with the three buildings that were at the original unit numbers, but we’re increasing the two buildings now up to 50 units in each of those two buildings,” said O’Hara.

Rasenberg said while the buildings will be longer, the overall project will be further away from neighbouring properties.

He said there is a real need for this project in the community which, like many others in Greater Saint John, is dealing with a tight housing market.

Rasenberg said Elmtree Hill is the only new project planned for construction in the Kennebecasis Valley this year.

“If you want to find an apartment in the Valley right now, it is impossible. There’s nothing available,” he said.

“This is a very, very important step to help address those issues of housing shortages.”

Coun. Sean Luck is one of those dealing first-hand with the current housing situation in the town.

Luck is in the process of building a new home but his current house sold much quicker than expected, leaving his family in need of a temporary home.

“There is nothing from a Vrbo, there are no short-term rentals, there are no long-term rentals, I can’t get a year lease for anything with two or three bedrooms,” said Luck.

Luck said he welcomes the new development, which is slated to take about three years to complete.

“This is the natural progression of our town. To me, it’s on the natural street in our town.”