Residents decry potential loss of parkland if Fredericton housing proposal goes ahead

Residents of a north-side Fredericton neighbourhood are pushing back against a developer's proposal to build townhouses on two adjacent properties, one of which is currently zoned parkland.

Some Devon residents say they're concerned about the loss of a sense of privacy in their backyards, as well as access to what some describe as a small urban forest between Gibson and Irvine Streets if a series of two and three-storey townhouses get built.

"It will see the destruction of an urban forest, an increase in noise and light pollution, and result in significant environmental concerns,"  Shawn Coughlan, an Irvine Street resident, told Fredericton city council Monday night.

Ontario-based Building Prosperity Inc. is proposing to construct a cluster of two and three-storey townhouses totalling 26 one-bedroom units and 62 two-bedroom units on two separate parcels of land at 501 Gibson St.

But the project would require rezoning two adjacent properties, including one owned by the city and zoned parkland, to allow for buildings as high as three storeys.

While the development has been recommended for approval by city staff, the city's planning advisory committee recommended it be rejected.

Ali Farahani of Building Prosperity Inc. told coucillors during a presentation Monday night that the purchase of the two properties is contingent on the rezoning being approved by council.

He said as soon as his company had a final concept for the development, he engaged with neighbours, and heard concerns about the height of the buildings, privacy, the suitability of the site, the design renderings, and the affordability of the units.

On the issue of privacy, Farahani said the proposal would mitigate against that by reducing the height of the buildings that  directly abut neighbouring properties.

"There are no issues of towering over existing homes or people peering into neighbours' backyards," he said.

"These two-storey townhouses will afford the very same privacy to the neighbours as any adjacent single-family home does currently."

Farahani also discussed his plans to make the 26 one-bedroom units "affordable" for tenants.

Farahani said the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation considers housing to be affordable if it's 30 per cent or less of a median household income.

He said with the median household income in Fredericton $64,000 per year, that would make $1,600 per month an affordable rent cost.

"Our target, however, is $1,300 to $1,500 a month," he said. "In other words, we will be below the CMHC guidelines for affordability.

"Not only that, we are committing 26 of the 88 units to this affordability. That's 30 per cent of our units and that exceeds most private developments, where 10 per cent is more typical."

Affordability claims questioned

According to information on the CMHC's website, housing is considered "affordable" if it costs less than 30 per cent of a household's before-tax income.

During his presentation, Farahani didn't say whether the rent cost of one of the "affordable" units would be reduced to less than $1,300 if a tenant's income was below what Fredericton's median household income is.

As part of their recommendation to see the proposal approved, Fredericton city staff included the condition that the developer provide confirmation of support for affordable housing through a provincial or federal authority.

Speaking after Farahani's presentation, Melynda Jarratt, who lives across the street from the proposed site, questioned just how affordable the one-bedroom units would really be.

"Let's get realistic about what affordable is. Affordable is not $1,300 a month for one person. That's not affordable," she said.

Aside from criticizing the proposed "affordable" rents, Jarratt also said she didn't want to see the loss of the undeveloped parkland, which she and other residents use to walk their dogs and get exercise.

"We love it, and we do not want you to take it away from us."

The Gibson Street proposal will go before Fredericton city councillors for a final vote at the next regular council meeting.