Snow throws hat in the ring
The woods where Nathan Perry played as a child is no more.
The Summerside resident owns a home on Spruce Drive, off Route 11, at the western edge of the city.
Recently, heavy machinery moved into the neighbourhood and cleared the woods from a large plot of land that wraps around the rear and one side of Perry’s home.
“It’s a shame,” said Perry. Perry and many of his neighbours recently got letters in the mail informing them the owners of that land, listed as Clifford, Vanessa and Melissa McQuaid, had applied to the city to have it rezoned.
A public meeting was held at city hall Tuesday night to discuss the rezoning. Perry and about 15 of his neighbours showed up to find out more about the project, but Perry left with more questions than answers.
Developers are not typically required to give a reason when they ask the city for a rezoning. As such, the residents did not have a clear picture as to what exactly was being done with the property.
A representative of the developer had been scheduled to be on hand at the meeting to answer questions but was not present.
What the residents did know is that the land is split into two parcels. Both are currently zoned for use as potential additions to a mobile home park, but the owners have asked that one be changed to R2 and the other to R4.
The city showed the residents a map of the developer’s proposed project, which had semidetached homes on several plots on either side of a cul-de-sac, and two larger plots at the rear of the property with two apartment buildings.
The residents expressed a number of concerns with what they saw on the designs, especially the increase in traffic it would bring and the loss of privacy due to the cutting of the trees.
They said traffic is already bad in their neighbourhood due to multiple speed bumps, some narrow streets and the fact that Spruce Drive is has a one-way exit at one end.
Perry said it is the unknowns of the development that concern him the most.
“They didn’t give details as to how many residents, the demographic — basically who is going to live there — and how busy it’s going to be,” he said.
He added that he hopes residents will be provided more concrete details in the near future.
The rezoning request will come back to council’s planning committee on Aug. 7 at 4:30 p.m.
The committee will discuss the request and most likely send it back to council for a final vote.
Cory Snow says he will run in the upcoming City of Summerside municipal election for Ward 4, Clifton-Market.
Snow is employed Justice Department where he works with children, youth and their families as a school outreach worker.
Through his work, Snow sees on a daily basis the many families face.
“I am passionate about helping people,” he said in a press release. “I look forward to the opportunity to represent the residents of Ward 4 and would make sure their concerns and ideas are brought to mayor and council.”
As is the case with most elections, new faces will be elected to represent residents, he said.
Snow currently serves as board president for the Summerside Boys and Girls Club, committee chair for the Elm Street Elementary School playground fundraising committee and has served as vice-president and board member for Summerside Area Minor Hockey Association. with the struggles