Province rejects Jamer quarry expansion, accepts rural plan

It was glorious chaos for awhile," says Tim Foulkes of the Bayside Preservation Committee in describing the crowd's reaction on April 15 in St. Andrews when New Brunswick Environment Minister Roland Haché announced that the provincial government had accepted Bayside's rural plan with no provisions for a pit or quarry.

"There was a standing ovation and a lot of hooting and hollering," reports Foulkes, who says his group is very pleased with the announcement. "And then when he said there was no provision for amendment, there was more of the same."

The Department of Environment's decision brings an end to Jamer Materials' application for an amendment change in the rural plan so the company could expand its quarry operations across Rte. 127.

Foulkes says, about 20 minutes into his speech, Haché "finally" told the crowd of about 330 people that the provincial government is replacing the Bayside basic planning statement with a rural plan to meet the future development needs of that community and that he will not amend the rural plan to allow for pit and quarry operations in the Bayside area.

"The provincial government has accepted the rural plan for the Local Service District of Bayside," Haché said. "At a public meeting held March 18, residents made it clear they wanted a rural plan that would suit the needs of their area by providing meaningful direction to the community in terms of future development."

"It was very good news for St. Andrews and Bayside and future generations," says St. Andrews Mayor John Craig. "I had the utmost faith that Minister Haché would always do the right thing."

The initiative was in response to a request from the LSD advisory committee in 2007 and part of ongoing work to convert all basic planning statements in New Brunswick to rural plans. This process will result in a modern planning document that includes goals, objectives and zoning provisions and reflects the permitted uses contained in the basic planning statement.

A rural plan is designed specifically to suit the needs of rural areas. It has two parts, one part that outlines the community's objectives or vision for future development; and a second that outlines the strategies or means by which these objectives will be achieved.

Some of the community's objectives contained in the rural plan for future development include: preservation of the rural character and the aesthetic beauty of the area, and the protection of the water quality of the Chamcook Lake watershed.

"In keeping with the objectives outlined in the rural plan, I will not amend the new rural plan to allow for pit and quarry operations, and I am stopping the current rezoning process immediately," Haché said. "As minister of environment, I must balance the environmental and economic aspects of any request; ensure that the proper process is followed; and take into consideration the concerns of residents. In this case, I received hundreds of comments from concerned residents and, after reviewing these comments and technical information with my staff, decided that the risk of a quarry operation outweigh the benefits."

Foulkes agrees with Haché and points out, "There was overwhelming sentiment from people in the area that we don't want a project of this type."

When Jamer Materials was brought to Bayside 11 years ago, Foulkes says the job in its contract was to expand the laydown area and expand space in the industrial park, if there was new clientele. "That hasn't happened. We see an open pit mine, and we don't trust them," says Foulkes. "Jamer Materials changed its contract several times. We believe Business New Brunswick was asleep at the switch. Their priorities are elsewhere. We believe that if Jamer Materials would do what was originally planned, there would be more jobs than there are currently."

The St. Andrews mayor hopes that, with time, all levels of government will work together to bring year-round jobs to Bayside when Jamer leaves. "And the Jamer employees should have the first pick of jobs."

More information on the rural plan is available on the Department of Environment's website.