Charlottetown council says IRAC shouldn't have power to overrule land use decisions

Charlottetown city council is appealing to have provincial legislation changed so the Island Regulatory Appeals Commission can no longer overturn council decisions about land use.

Council decided at its Jan. 11 meeting to send a resolution to the Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities annual general meeting asking for its support.

Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee questions why the province allows both municipalities and IRAC to make rezoning decisions.

"Nobody at IRAC gets elected, they don't have to go out and talk to the citizens of Charlottetown as to why they're in favour of that or what their planning views are for the city of Charlottetown," said Lee.

"If the province wants IRAC to have that authority then the province should change legislation to take the authority away from municipal governments. Because you can't have two bodies supposedly responsible. It just doesn't work."

In December, IRAC overturned a city council decision to deny a condo development next to Belevedere Golf Club after the developer appealed. The city was ordered to approve a rezoning application made by developer Hanmac Inc.

City council had rejected the application to rezone the piece of property at 1 Greensview Drive from open space to medium residential on July 14, 2014.

The developer wants to build three six-unit condos built along the fourth hole on land it plans to buy from the golf course.

The city's decision came after citizens voiced their disapproval of the plan during public consultations.

Charlottetown city council did not appeal IRAC's decision.