Lacking transparency
Councillor criticizes Charlottetown planning board for entertaining rezoning proposal after public opposition
A rezoning resolution to allow for a three-unit apartment building on Orlebar Street died on the floor during this month’s council meeting.
However, not before one city councillor described the process as lacking transparency and criticized the planning board chairman for even bringing the resolution to council following public concern on the proposal.
Coun. Mitch Tweel said he was disappointed to see a resolution to rezone 57 Orlebar St. from low density residential (R2) to medium density residential (R3) to construct an 840-square foot addition and convert the existing duplex into a three-unit apartment.
Tweel said a public meeting for residents’ feedback saw heavy opposition to the proposal, with concerns shared about parking and maintaining the overall character of the street.
“That message was loud and clear. I’m very disappointed you’re bringing in a resolution here tonight,” said Tweel while addressing planning board chairman Greg Rivard. “I don’t know why we’d have a public meeting to engage with the residents, to empower the residents, if we’re not going to respect their wishes.”
Coun. Terry Bernard also spoke out against the resolution and said he was concerned about “opening the doors” to R3 in the community.
“It’s a very good neighbourhood, people on the street are quite happy and R2 is what they want,” said Bernard.
Tweel also criticized the decision to make the resolution subject to the signing of a development agreement without mentioning that to residents.
“That concept should have been shared with the residents in the immediate area,” said Tweel, who unsuccessfully tried to introduce a motion to defer the resolution. “If you want to showcase a developer’s agreement… let’s show it to the residents and get their views. It has to be open and transparent, this resolution is not open and transparent.”
Rivard fired back and said the process was transparent.
“To sit there and talk about transparency, I’m somewhat baffled,” Rivard said, adding that it was planning board’s directive to add the developer’s agreement to help protect the neighbourhood from future development. “If council indeed does approve the rezoning, we’ll make sure this is maintained or stays as a three-unit complex and doesn’t go to five (units), which is the maximum they can go to with the property size.”
Rivard said the board could not void the application from public comments.
“(The process) is very transparent and every application has its own merit and has to go through the process,” said Rivard, who voted against the resolution.
The resolution ultimately failed 2-5, with Coun. Terry MacLeod and Coun. Jason Coady voting in favour of the rezoning.