Summerside residents speak out against official plan changes

More than 100 people packed into a Summerside meeting room Thursday night to express their concerns about the bigger and taller buildings allowed in proposed changes to the city's official plan.

Federal money provided through the Housing Accelerator Fund $5.8 million for Summerside requires changes as part of a plan to increase housing density across the country.

But that didn't sit well with some residents.

Alan Thorpe, one of many he spoke against the changes, saidhe feels the city is rushing the changes in an effort to secure federal dollars.

"I support the expansion of the City of Summerside but only under its own terms and its own timing," Thorpe said during the more than three-hour long meeting.

"None of this seems to be under their own terms or their own timing. It all seems to be dictated by the federal government. I totally understand the desire of the federal government, which with its open door policy towards immigrationhas caused a housing crisis, a healthcare crisis and a service crisis."

'Big issue right now is affordability'

None of the more than 20 speakers who took part in the meeting at Credit Union Place supported the changes.

The city has already made some adjustments to the plan due to public pressure. Earlier this month, the city proposed four-unit townhouses or row housing but not four-unit apartments in areas zoned for single-family or mixed residential.

Margo Thompson said she's not convinced the proposed changes to the official plan will do anything to address the housing crisis in the city.

"This plan does not address the big issue, the big issue right now is affordability," said Thompson.

"I don't know how this plan with all the changes is going to deal with the issues at hand$5.8 million right now is not a reason to throw what we have away."

'Don't want to have to raise my kids in a duplex'

Teenager Sophie Gallant also raised concern about the types of housing that may be going into the city.

"I would definitely love to come back to P.E.I. once I'm done studying to come live here because this is my hometown, it's where I grew up and it's where I love," said Gallant.

"I don't want to have to raise my kids in a duplex, in a townhouse in whatever you guys are putting into the city, because that's not what I want for my children. I want children to be able to live freely, and make as much noise and have friends over late at night and not have to worry about the things that you guys want our new generation to worry about."

The East-West Housing Corridor, now under construction, will connect Water Street East with Ryan Street in the city's north end.

Some portions of that development could include apartment buildings up to 10-storeys high.

That also concernedwith some residents.

'Tough questions that have to be answered'

Mike Martin said 10-storey buildings are too high especially next to single-family homes. He raised concerns about the setback between those two types of buildings.

"There are tough questions that have to be answered," said Martin.

'We're trying to make it work'

Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher said the concerns will be discussed by council next week. Hesaid council wants to look for compromise but still address the housing crisis in the city.

However the mayor said the $5.8-million Housing Accelerator Fund money will be in jeopardy if the city doesn't approve the changes to the official plan by the end of October.

"When council first signed the initial agreement with the federal government it included four-unit as-of-right and it was approved unanimously by council," Kutcher said in an interview with CBC News following the meeting.

"Doesn't mean that we can't change our mind that's OK but I think the federal government would be within their right to say, 'It's off.' But again we're trying to make it work here in our community."

Council had been scheduled to vote on the amendments on Oct. 1, but the vote is now expected to take place on Oct. 21.