Condo president and developer cross swords at public meeting

A P.E.I. developer clashed with a condo president at a public meeting regarding an apartment building he's proposing to build in the downtown Charlottetown area.

A 23-unit, four-storey apartment building at 55 and 59 Richmond Street was proposed to city council by APM Group president Tim Banks earlier this year, but it needs a zoning amendment to go ahead.

The development would offer affordable housing in a city where there's a low vacancy rate, Banks said.

Banks updated the rental costs for the units at the meeting, saying the one-bedroom units would go for under $800 a month, and the two bedrooms would be under $1,000.

"I see a demand for downtown occupancy for micro-units, and I'm trying to build them, and I'm trying to take them here, and I'm getting roadblocks," Banks said.

'Rich condo owner' … 'Rich developer'

Dan Hurnik, president of the condo corporation at Rochford Condominiums next door, expressed his concerns over how close the new building would be to the existing units, and the challenges it would create with parking. 

In a heated exchange, in response to criticism from Hurnik, Banks said: "It's rich condo owners scared of affordable housing."

Hurnik responded: "No it's not....It's a developer maximizing their profit on a small lot that's not zoned for this."

Banks to Hurnik: "Rich condo owner."

Hurnik to Banks: "Rich developer."

Concerns expressed

"It's negatively impacting people and people's lives in our building, and we recommend that ... the building be built on a site with adequate parking, and adequate distance from neighbours," Hurnik said. 

"It's that simple."

Also in attendance were some individuals who live in units at Rochford Condominiums, and they echoed Hurnik's concerns over the development.

Banks said he has tried to work with the condo owners.

"They don't want to move an inch," he said.

"They don't want affordable housing next to them. They don't want to diminish the value of their condos, in their view. In my view, we're just going to enhance the neighbourhood."

Prior to the meeting, in response to some of the security concerns Banks had received regarding the balconies on the side of the building, Banks has removed balconies from the first and second storeys to mitigate those concerns.

Words of support

Kathleen Casey, MLA for Charlottetown-Lewis Point attended the meeting in support of the project because of her vested interest in affordable housing.

"We need partnerships. We need the municipality, we need the province, and we need developers like Tim Banks, to come together and make sure that people have affordable housing and proper housing in the city," Casey said.

"We need more Tim Banks's in this city."

Dawn Alan, the executive director of Downtown Charlottetown Inc., voiced her support for the proposed development, also citing the need for affordable housing.

Rory Francis, the president of the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce was also present, requesting that the city support residential development.

City had previously voted against going ahead with public consultations

The City had voted against the project proceeding to the public consultation phase this summer. The mayor had raised concerns about the proposed building's proximity to the building next door.

​Banks filed an appeal with the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission. Before that review happened, councillors voted unanimously to rescind their original vote.

• City council's reversal 'common sense,' says developer
• Appeal hearing set over apartment complex denied by Charlottetown

Lawsuit threatened

Banks blames city council politics for the setbacks with his development. He argued that council has been more lenient in the past when approving other projects.

"I am frustrated," said Banks.

"In fact, I think I may even sue the mayor.... If I get to the point where we don't get what everybody else is getting, why wouldn't I?"

The city's planning board will meet on Monday, and will make a recommendation to address the proposal at the next city council meeting on Nov. 14.

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