SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — A six-unit, one-storey townhouse is one step closer to being built on MacEwen Road, after a Jan. 21 public meeting at Summerside council chambers.
The meeting was a chance for residents to bring forward concerns over a proposed zoning change.
Developer Kujtim Musliu is asking council to rezone his two lots from R2 to R3, to allow a six-unit townhouse development.
Musliu and his wife intend to live in one of the units. He said his daughter and her family will live in another.
Part of the reason for the development was his foresight down the road to when his three sons will be looking for homes as well.
Fred and Gisele Martin live on the property bordering to the north of Musliu’s.
Martin questioned the city about water flow across the vacant lots.
“I’ve been in touch with technical services quite a bit this fall about what’s going to happen in the next couple of months. When the snow melts, where’s it going to go?” asked Martin.
“We’re certainly hoping it doesn’t end up in our back yards.”
He also wants Musliu to have the lots surveyed again to replace a missing pin at the street-facing corner between the properties.
When Gisele approached the microphone, she held a drawing of Musliu’s proposed building.
“When Kujtim showed us this drawing that he has so far, he indicates a building with a footprint of 168 feet long, and 40 feet back and forth to the road. Now, this is, as you can see, it’s a primitive drawing. So, in order to allow for all of the firewalls and the walls in this structure, I would like assurance that he’s going to start with the footprint that’s 168 feet by 40. Because this could very easily go to 175 or more,” said Gisele.
“I don’t know how you answer with a blank lot and an almost a blank piece of paper. So those are my quick questions of Kujtim and you.”
Musliu had initially declined to speak, but stepped to the microphone to address some of their concerns.
“I can reassure you, for sure, I will not be any closer than what I’m allowed to go to the neighbours’ property lines on both sides.”
He shared the “primitive drawing as they are calling it” with the neighbours to help them visualize his tentative plans.
Since he wasn’t sure if the rezoning request would be approved, he chose not to invest in architectural drawings before he knew if the project would move forward.
“I am so surprised at them asking where’s the water going to go. Where’s the water going to go if we build semi-detached?” said Musliu.
“There’s smarter people than me there (working for the city).”
When city planner Aaron MacDonald made clear that to build six units attached, Musliu would need to have the two lots surveyed and made into one, he agreed.
“When it needs to be done for the councillors, for them to make a decision, yes, that’s definitely got to be. That’s understandable,” said Musliu.
City staff will review the questions and concerns raised at the public meeting and take them to the Feb. 4 planning board meeting at 5 p.m. for discussion and prepare a recommendation for the Feb. 18 council meeting.
