Charlottetown council votes down rezoning application for Mi'kmaq Confederacy building

Charlottetown city council has voted against a rezoning application put forward by the Mi'kmaq Confederacy. The group wanted to construct a three-storey building that would include office space, an Aboriginal Friendship Centre, a gift shop and a car rental service.

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The application sought to rezone a piece of property at 8 Stan MacPherson Way from Port Zone to Waterfront Zone. This would have given the Mi'kmaq Confederacy the ability to have a retail component on the first floor, something the group argued would be optimal for tourists and cruise ship traffic.

The group also hoped to rent space in the building to a car rental agency, which is not permitted under the current zoning.

Building could still go ahead

The Charlottetown Harbour Authority has already signed a deal with the Mi'kmaq Confederacy for the sale of the property. Greg Rivard is with the city's planning board, and said the group can still move forward with the building, if they plan to use it solely as an office.   

"They do still have as-of-right to put in office space with that zoning under the port.''

Rivard said the group has the option to dispute the decision, but they'd have to go through the planning board.

Surprised, disappointed by council's decision

No one from the Mi'kmaq Confederacy was present at the meeting, or available for an interview afterwards. But in a statement emailed to CBC, Chief Brian Francis of the Abegweit First Nation said, "We were very surprised and disappointed by City Council's decision."

He says the band council will consider the decision, undertake their due diligence and examine next steps.

No permit says councillor

During Monday night's meeting, it was suggested that a car rental agency is already running out of Founder's Hall, without the adequate permit to do so. 

The Charlottetown Area Development Corporation, which owns Founder's Hall, said Tuesday the lack of a permit for the rental company was an oversight and that CADC is applying for a temporary use permit.

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