In 1984, the Saint Andrews Planning Area Steering Committee was established to oversee the carrying out of background studies and the preparation of plans for the Saint Andrews Planning Area. The Saint Andrews Planning Area, as defined for the purposes of the studies only, encompassed the peninsula which lies south of Route 1 between Digdeguash and Gilman’s Corner and contained the Saint Andrews Local Service District, the Bayside Local Service District, that portion of Saint Patrick Parish commonly referred to as Bocabec and the Town of Saint Andrews. The Steering Committee was composed of representatives from each of these four communities.

After a series of public meetings and consultations with numerous individuals and groups within the Saint Andrews Planning Area, the background studies were completed in May, 1985. These studies focused on past and future population trends, environmental concerns, community facilities, transportation, land use, housing, the economy and future development opportunities.

Highlights from the background studies as they relate to the Saint Andrews Local Service District are summarized below.

The Saint Andrews Local Service District lies in the east central portion of the Saint Andrews Planning Area. It is a land of contrasts where the landscape ranges from the extremely rugged topography of the interior to the gently rolling lands near the indented shoreline of the inlets of Passamaquoddy Bay. It is an area of natural scenic beauty.

The offshore areas, particularly Chamcook Harbour, are highly productive for clams and other shellfish and fish. However, these areas are susceptible to landwash pollution after heavy rainfalls and it is imperative that any development be accompanied by proper pollution control measures.

The coastal areas off McCann Cove are good areas for waterfowl. They are suitable for wintering or migratory stopovers and have only slight limitations for breeding.

While most of the Saint Andrews Local Service District has gravelly soils of low fertility, pockets of more fertile soils which have relatively good capability for agriculture are found in the southern areas. These form an extension of the agricultural area of the Bayside Local Service District.

A small portion of the Chamcook Lake watershed, which serves as a potable water supply for the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Biological Station, the Champlain Industrial Park, the Town of Saint Andrews and a number of cottagers is found in the western area of the Saint Andrews Local Service District. It is important that the water quality be maintained. Samples taken upstream from the intake indicate that at certain times bacterial contamination exceeds the standard for treatment by chlorination alone. The level of pollution in the watershed is at a point where increased development may force the need for expensive treatment facilities. The existing cottages and dwellings may not have properly functioning waste disposal systems and the Town of Saint Andrews’ dump may be a contributor to the pollution in the watershed. If the dump is a contributor to the pollution, it should be relocated.

The Saint Andrews Local Service District is a rural area with a population of about 370 people, living in approximately 110 dwelling units. Although development is spread out along Route 127, there is a tendency towards clustering around Chamcook Harbour. Near the head of the Harbour are found the Atlantic Salmon Federation, a convenience store with a gas bar and a number of residences.

Residents of the Saint Andrews Local Service District rely on the Town of Saint Andrews and The Town of St. Stephen for many of their goods and services. Most students attend school in Saint Andrews, although a few attend vocational programs in St. Stephen. Fire protection is provided by the Saint Andrews Fire Department. Police protection is provided by the R.C.M.P. out of St. Stephen. The Charlotte County Hospital in St. Stephen provides hospital services, while ambulance services come from Saint Andrews. It is unlikely that the population of the Saint Andrews Local Service District will grow sufficiently to warrant having its own services and reliance on other communities is expected to continue.

The Town of Saint Andrews’ dump, which serves the entire peninsula, is a concern to the residents of the Saint Andrews Local Service District who feel that pollution and fire hazards are posed by this operation. The residents of the Saint Andrews Local Service District strongly object to the presence of the dump located in a watershed draining into Chamcook Harbour and they believe that it should be located elsewhere.

Route 127 is the major highway through the Saint Andrews Local Service District. Improvements to the road in a number of troublesome spots would be welcome.

There are a number of traditional public access points to the intertidal zone. Their status as a public right-of-way is uncertain and should be investigated. All public access points should be clearly marked.

Minister’s Island is an important historic resource which has been obtained by the Province and designated as a protected site under the Historic Sites Protection Act. It contains the former Van Horne estate, Covenhoven, and significant aboriginal archeological sites. It is accessible over the Bar which becomes exposed during low tide. There is concern that the Van Horne estate is falling into a state of disrepair and that it should be put to some appropriate use. However, in making use of the estate, residents of the Saint Andrews Local Service District are anxious that the Island remain in Crown ownership.

The general objectives of the Saint Andrews Local Service District Basic Planning Statement are:

It is also the objective of the Saint Andrews Local Service District Basic Planning Statement, for the purposes of long term development of the area, to have the following studies undertaken and the Saint Andrews Local Service District Advisory Committee should make every effort to persuade the appropriate government departments to undertake and assist in these studies:

If a zoning regulation were to be adopted in the future, the objectives to be accomplished by that zoning regulation would be

The following proposals are aimed at channelling future development in accordance with the objectives of the Saint Andrews Local Service District Basic Planning Statement. Areas have been designated for specific uses on a map entitled Saint Andrews Local Service District Plan attached as Schedule C. Proposals relating to these uses are as follows:

The area designated as the Rural Area does not have a known high resource value but it is environmentally sensitive. It is proposed that the following shall be permitted uses in the Rural Area:

The Department of Environment has defined the boundaries of the Chamcook Lake watershed and these boundaries are set out in Schedule C. For accurate delineation of the watershed, reference should be made to the maps held by the Department of Environment.

Chamcook Lake is a source of potable water. There are indications that the present level of development in the Chamcook Lake watershed area may be at the point where additional development could render the quality of the water supply unsuitable without further treatment.

The Department of Environment is in the process of setting restrictions and standards to be met within the delineated watershed area and will specify uses permitted for development within the area.

Minister’s Island is owned by the Province and is protected under the Historic Sites Protection Act. It is proposed that before any development of the area designated as Minister’s Island proceeds, a development scheme for all or part of the area under section 32 of the Community Planning Act be adopted. It is proposed that the guidelines for the preparation of a development scheme for the area shall be as follows:

It is anticipated that the portion of the CP Rail track running from the Town of Saint Andrews to the north end of Limeburners Lake may be abandoned making the right-of-way available for other uses. It is proposed that the area designated as the Recreation Corridor, which contains the right-of-way, be developed for such activities as hiking, bicycling and cross-country skiing and that it be linked with the Bar Road leading to a trail system around Minister’s Island. It is proposed that all motorized vehicles be excluded from any trails and right-of-ways in the Recreation Corridor.