Summerside council denies West Drive rezoning request

SUMMERSIDE

Summerside City Council has denied a request from a landowner to rezone three large parcels of land on West Drive.

Council voted 7-1 to turn down the request.

Most councillors voiced concerns about the lack of any foreknowledge regarding what the developer intended to do with the land if the rezoning was been approved.

There is, however, no requirement for a developer to provide that information to the city if all they are requesting is a straight zone change.

Still, councillors said they did not feel comfortable allowing the change, given that lack of knowledge and potential impacts on homeowners in that area, most of which are single-family properties.

“If we asked the homeowners what they would like across from them, I’m sure they’re going to say they’d like to have what’s there now. But if there is changes to be made I’m sure they’d like to see what is going there, rather than (us) just opening the door wide open to building anything across from them,” said Coun. Tyler DesRoches.

Coun. Bruce MacDougall added that he has spoken to a number of residents in that area who told him they were not against the land being developed, but they are against all three being zoned for high density residential units.

The applicants for the rezoning, listed as Robert, Dorothy and Alan Maynard, had asked for the land to rezoned high density residential from their current urban reserve zone.

This is the second time in recent months that council has turned down a rezoning request for a property because they didn’t know what the developers planned for it. Also in both incidents neighbours objected to the proposals.

The first request was for a vacant piece of land owned by the Summerside Regional Development Corporation. That organization had been in talks with a potential developer who wanted the land rezoned prior to a potential sale. That request was also for the property to be rezoned high density residential.

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