CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Residents of a north-end Charlottetown subdivision have convinced city council to reverse its decision to approve a development they say would have negatively impacted them.
At a special meeting on Wednesday, council voted 6-2 to rescind a decision it made on June 8 to approve a lot consolidation for two properties that would have seen three apartment buildings, and a total of 60 units, constructed off Malpeque Road.
Residents of the Southview Estates, adjacent to the properties, have been fighting the original decision. The entrance and exit from the apartment buildings would have been off Trainor Street in the subdivision, and residents said the neighbourhood can’t handle the extra traffic.
“It might be a little early to crack open the bubbly but, sure, it’s a win,’’ said John Barrett, who lives on Katie Drive in the subdivision and has been leading the residents’ fight.
“While it’s a win I do recognize the fact that the issue is, perhaps, not over with. We’re just waiting to see what the developer’s next move might be.’’
On Thursday, Chris Linzel-Waddell, the developer, said the development team is disappointed and confused by council’s decision.
“From what we can find, this is the first time an as-of-right lot consolidation was not approved in the city of Charlottetown,’’ Linzel-Waddell said. “With some council members changing (their) votes with no explanation or new information provided to them, it’s hard to see past the ‘why was this overturned, again’?’’
Linzel-Waddell still owns the two lots in question.
Coun. Mike Duffy, chairman of council’s standing committee on planning, said the developer has three options now: abandon the project, alter the plan or appeal council’s decision to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission.
“Hopefully, we can work with the residents of Southview Estates so we can all live in harmony,’’ Duffy said.
Linzel-Waddell said he and his team will be looking into permitted uses for the property as it exists now.
“We are excited to see a great development on the property in the very near future,’’ he said.
Duffy said the land is zone C2, highway commercial, which has 22 permitted uses. In previous interviews, the planning chairman has said that includes a motorcycle club and a funeral home.
Barrett said Duffy is trying to “bully residents’’ with speculation that it could be a motorcycle club.
“That’s just outrageous,’’ Barrett said.
Coun. Jason Coady, who represents the area and voted in favour of rescinding the original resolution, dismisses any chance council would ever approve something like a motorcycle club for the area.
“I highly doubt that,’’ Coady said with a chuckle. “I don’t know where (Duffy is) going with that.’’
Coady said the proposed development just wasn’t a fit for the neighbourhood.
“There’s kids out playing hockey; there’s a park in the area. I don’t think apartments would fit in that established neighbourhood,’’ Coady said, adding that whatever the developer ends up doing, the access road should be off Malpeque Road, not the subdivision.
Barrett said he and the other residents will continue to monitor the city’s website to keep track of all building permit approvals “and take the necessary steps from there’’.
Dave Stewart is The Guardian's municipal reporter. He can be reached by email at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @DveStewart.
