Summerside council rejects rezoning Bluebell subdivision

A controversial development planned for the Bluebell subdivision in Summerside, P.E.I. is heading back to the drawing board after a motion to rezone the land was rejected by city councilTuesday night.

Robins Equity Group was hopingto build 20 duplexes on 10 lots of land near Rotary Friendship Park. But council voted unanimously against changing the property from single family residential to low density mixed residential.

"The result speaks for itself," said Coun. Brian McFeely, chair of the planning board.

"We had the public meeting, we had the planning board meeting and we had the vote tonight and that vote is a result of the process and a difficult, difficult decision."

'Listen to the people'

Also in attendance Tuesday were numerous members of the public.

"There's several criteria which council would evaluate any application on and one of those criteria is certainly the comments of the residents," said McFeely.

"I really feel that the community has a vested interest in their neighbourhood ... I put a lot of value on how the residents feel about this rezoning."

One by one, councillors began to explain the reasons why they could not support the motion.

"I can't sit here and say that I represent the residents of the city and then go against what a substantial majority of people are asking for," said Coun. Justin Dorion.

"Development is here at our doorstep but do you take it at any cost?" Coun. Bruce MacDougall asked.

And while Coun. Barb Ramsay told the room "this has been the toughest decision in my two years on council," she added she is "going to listen to the people because that's my job as a councillor."

'Quite relieving'

Scott Drummond has lived in the neighbourhood for 11 years. He said he was against the development, mainly due to concerns around increased traffic,and gathered around 230 signatures on a petition signed by those also opposed.

"We weren't sure where it was going to go. But once we heard the first councillorspeak ... we kind of knew that it was going to go in our favour," he said.

"As each councillorspoke after each other, it was quite relieving, actually, to hear their comments and we were pleased to see that they were supporting the residents of the area."

As for the developer, McFeely said it has the right to appeal to the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission or change its plans tocreatea single-family residential development instead.

"It would be up to him to decide how he wants to move forward," said McFeely. "Not for us to suggest how he moves forward."

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