Big box | Store planned for Corbett Centre

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By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

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Councillors have cleared Costco to build in the capital city.

The vote was unanimous Monday night to grant the approval for the store's construction at the Corbett Centre atop Regent Street.

"There was a well-rounded discussion and a tremendous amount of input from professional engineering organizations that specialize in watershed management and staff reports, so I'm very satisfied that it was well vetted," said Mayor Brad Woodside.

University of New Brunswick students, professors and citizens who belong to environmental lobby groups recently urged the city to reject the application.

The 38 groups and individuals who protested at city hall two weeks ago want a freeze on further development of the UNB woodlot and most oppose big-box stores.

Most of the land needed for the store site and its parking area already had zoning approval.

There was confusion two weeks ago about whether approval of a gasoline bar was part of the discussion. Woodside clarified that Monday night. The gas bar had been approved on a variance application that went before the planning advisory committee.

That meant the only issue for councillors to decide was whether to allow site developers to fill in part of a man-made wetland to expand the parking area.

"The gas bar has been approved and could be constructed tomorrow," Woodside said. "But we do have a lot of information on the gas bar and I think that's because there has been a genuine concern with respect to the environment."

While the city has been dealing with UNB's consultant on the application, Woodside said his next step will be to contact Costco to inform it of the decision.

"I'll ask them to get the shovel in the ground just as soon as they can," Woodside said.

Coun. Bruce Grandy had asked for a staff report on whether the Costco project, including the gasoline station, had any impact on the city's drinking water supply.

"It is reasonable to expect that any spill of significant volume to be considered a threat to the aquifer would be detected and remediated long before it had an opportunity to contaminate the city's drinking water," said the city's wellfield protection officer Kathy Edwards in the report.

Deputy mayor Tony Whalen said he has been assured that the developer is meeting all Environment Department approvals and that a 30-metre buffer zone around the marsh will be maintained.

"I'm confident in all the information we have received from all the experts," Whalen said.

That, coupled with information from Terrain Group Inc. about containment measures that will be adopted along with Costco's own policy on avoiding leaks and spills, was provided to city council.

"There are a lot of conditions, a lot of protections in there," Grandy said after receiving the data.

"There has been intense scrutiny on this application," said Coun. Dan Keenan. "We've spent a lot of time on this development proposal ... We do that because we have an environmental conscience."

Coun. Stephen Chase, who works in salmon conservation, said he has come to the conclusion that the development can be done in such a way as to protect Corbett Brook and the surrounding marsh.

Coun. Jordan Graham said the development is needed because of the downturn in the economy in North America.

"I think it will do a lot of good for our city," said Coun. Marilyn Kerton.

In 2004, UNB adopted a land management strategy to turn half of its 1,526-hectare (3,815-acre) woodlot in Fredericton into future development lands. Because its land is an endowment from King George III dating back to 1800, the university can't sell it, but can lease it.

The university has already leased land for a Home Depot and a number of other retailers.

Coun. Mike O'Brien said Costco is only one component of the development plan, which has had extensive public and government consultation over four years.