Charlottetown meets with Marshfield residents over annexation request

The City of Charlottetown says it'slooking into a requestto annex part of the nearby community of Marshfield. About 65 people attended a meeting organized by residents recently.

Charlottetown's chief administrative officer saidthe city received a requestin recent months from the owners of a large parcel of land that straddles the municipal boundary.

"You don't just go in and push your way through," saidCharlottetownCAO, Peter Kelly. "Obviously you want to consult with the community and have a discussion as to what some concerns may or may not be."

Kelly attended the meeting at York Community Centre Sept. 10, on behalf of the city, along with two staff from the provincial government.Annexationis one option that would allow the city to extend sewer and water services to portions ofMarshfield, according to Kelly.

Former potato packer Scott Lewis toldCBCNews he and a business partner hope todevelop land along St. Peters Road for commercial and retail purposes. Lewis did not attend the Sept. 10 meeting, but saidhe has contacted the city about annexing their28-hectare parcel ofland.

Lewis said the retail stores would provide services to people expected tobe living in a proposed new subdivision, Montgomery Heights,to be built within the city's current boundaries, near L. M. Montgomery Elementary School.

"We feel the east of the city of Charlottetown is going to need more services, places to shop and buy groceries,"said Lewis. "There's lots of growth all around."

Marshfieldresident Darrin Pettitt attended the public meeting.He moved home to P.E.I. last year from British Columbia, to raise livestock.

"It could affect my right to farm," said Pettitt. "When I came from B.C. I was in an area there that you were only allowed to have so many animals. Your animals had to be set up a certain way and if they weren't or if somebody thought they weren't, there was a bylaw officer out."

The city says it hopes to meet with residents again.

"It's not our community," said Kelly. "We have to sort of step back, bring forward information, let other people make an informed decision as to whether they believe it'sa good thing, bad thing or otherwise."

Kelly saidthe city hopes to meet Marshfieldresidents again in October.

More P.E.I. news