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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A Charlottetown councillor wants to know why the appeal process is dragging in terms of development in the city.
At council’s monthly public meeting on Monday, Coun. Mike Duffy said he is puzzled as to why the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission has yet to rule on seven separate cases.
Rivard said he wasn’t sure but suggested COVID-19, which shut just about everything down in March, is part of the reason.
Alex Forbes, manager of the planning department, also couldn’t shed any light on why seven decisions of council as still in the appeal que.
“It is hard to say what is going on over there," Forbes said. “But, it has taken a considerable amount of time ... and it delays us in issuing permits."
Forbes said he will reach out to those at the commission and inform them council is asking questions.
When contacted by The Guardian on Tuesday, Kim Devine, who handles media relations for the commission, said IRAC can't comment on matters before it.
In terms of the asphalt plant appeal, after a preliminary hearing, Feener and the three auto dealerships had requested further documents from the city.
The commission ordered the city to disclose internal documents connected to plans to develop the proposed plant.
Stratford sewage
The status of moving the sludge from the lagoon in Stratford to Charlottetown’s plant on Riverside Drive also came up on Monday.
Richard MacEwen, the manager of the city’s water and sewer utility, said the plant is ready to accept the sludge and expects testing should commence by the end of October.
It would be shortly after that that sludge would start moving in a pipe across the Hillsborough River.
As for the lagoon in Stratford, it is expected to remain available for about a month after that as a backup should any problems arise.
Sir John A. statue
Council once again reiterated that the bench statue of Sir John A. Macdonald on Victoria Row isn’t going anywhere.
Coun. Mike Duffy said he listened to a broadcast report that indicated the statue might be moved.
Coun. Kevin Ramsay, who chairs a sub-committee that is in talks with Indigenous groups about putting a plaque at the location, said council has already passed a resolution stating the statue is going nowhere.
That objective of the plaque would be to tell Macdonald’s full story, the good and the bad.
