Summerside residents petition city to reject subdivision rezoning

A controversial development planned for the Bluebell subdivision in Summerside, P.E.I., goes before the city's planning board Wednesday.

Robins Equity Group wants to build 20 duplexes on 10 lots of land in the subdivision located in the northern end of the city near the Rotary Friendship Park. 

But that requires a rezoning.

All of the homes in the subdivision are single-family.

Scott Drummond, who has lived in the area for 11 years, said he's concerned about increased traffic and the impact the new development may have on the value of his home. 

'This community is not against development'

Drummond started a petition, signed by 230 residents, opposed to the development. That petition was handed to city officials last week. 

"I know that this community is not against development, we recognize the fact that there is a housing shortage here in P.E.I.," Drummond said in an interview.

"We just don't feel that this plan actually addresses that initial problem."

The city's planning board, made up of three city councillors, will review the project and make a recommendation to council.

City council will vote on the project at its next monthly meeting, Feb. 16.

Mayor in a conflict 

Coun. Brian McFeely, chair of the planning board, said the concerns of residents are among many factors the board considers when making a recommendation to city council. 

"The items that they were concerned about really was the preservation of their neighbourhood, single-family homes and the community that they have there, concerns were expressed about increased traffic, those kinds of things," said McFeely.

The city held a public meeting on the development last week. 

Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart declared he was in a conflict of interest, because his daughter owns property in the subdivision. 

'Your concerns are my concerns'

Mike Robins, who owns Robins Equity Group, could not be reached for comment. 

But in a letter read during the public meeting last week, Robins said the design of the duplexes will be appealing, with multiple options in keeping with the existing neighborhood. 

"Your concerns are my concerns. My main goal for this development is to improve the area," he said in the letter, which was read by a Summerside city councillor.   

Drummond said residents plan to be at the planning board meeting Wednesday and at the council meeting later this month in an effort to keep pressure on elected officials to nix plans for this development. 

"I'm obviously not very pleased with, I guess, the direction this is going," said Drummond.

"I have four kids, three dogs and myself, a very busy household and we're used to the quiet neighbourhood that we've lived in for a number of years and this development is not really matching what I feel should be in the community." 

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