Charlottetown’s city council is gearing up for a public meeting scheduled for early September to gather feedback from residents on the proposed new zoning and development bylaw. This bylaw outlines regulations on construction locations within the city. According to Coun. Alanna Jankov, Charlottetown’s deputy mayor, there have been multiple open house sessions, and staff members are currently reviewing the feedback received.
Jankov, who leads the planning and heritage committee, emphasized the importance of residents coming prepared to ask questions and seek clarity during the meeting. The focus will be on addressing concerns raised by residents, particularly regarding the provision allowing for the addition of up to four units in certain residential areas.
The anticipated public meeting aims to provide further clarification on the extensive 200-page draft document. Jankov highlighted that property owners seeking to convert their residences into multiple units must designate the property as their primary residence. Additionally, a zoning map indicating suitable residential zones for up to four units will be available for reference.
Charlottetown faced a setback of $1.26 million from the federal government due to delays in implementing the new zoning and development bylaw, including the provision for four units as-of-right. The city’s Housing Accelerator Fund agreement with Ottawa required adjustments to building permits and zoning regulations, as part of a larger $10 million initiative.
With the upcoming municipal election in November, Jankov expressed the council’s urgency to finalize the bylaw before the election deadline. She underlined the importance of completing ongoing initiatives during the current term and expressed confidence in meeting the necessary deadlines.
Council member Mitchell Tweel proposed advertising the public meeting in a local newspaper to attract more attendees. Jankov supported this idea, emphasizing the legal requirement to meet advertising standards. The meeting details will be published in a local newspaper, and Jankov endorsed the idea of running a full-page ad multiple times to ensure broad visibility.