City council OKs retail development for Winsloe
Up next is a proposal for East Royalty area, including a grocery store
DAVE STEWART
The Guardian
Retail is set to grow on one side of Charlottetown and hopes to do the same on the other side.
City council has given the go-ahead for retail development in Winsloe and will hold a public meeting for an application for retail development in East Royalty.
Residents in Winsloe can expect to see construction start soon on a project that includes a new gas station, Tim Hortons, pizza restaurant and convenience store.
The project will be built on the Malpeque Road, across the street from the existing Petro-Canada gas bar.
As for the project in East Royalty, there wasn???t much information from council on who or what the project will entail, if it goes ahead, other than that it involves a new grocery store.
Council sent an application to rezone a portion of the property (six lots) at 412 St. Peters Road from single-detached residential to highway commercial to a public meeting. That was in spite of a recommendation from the city???s planning department that the project should not go ahead and there shouldn???t even be a meeting with the residents.
Coun. Terry Bernard, who represents some of the residents in the area, said people want more information about a proposed grocery store.
???I???d like to hear what the developer has to say,?????? Bernard said. ???Let the residents hear what he has to say.??????
Coun. Kim Devine, chair of the planning committee, said her group doesn???t think the grocery store issue needs to go anywhere in East Royalty.
Devine said the planning committee feels there is enough commercial development scattered throughout the city and doesn???t need to start encroaching into East Royalty.
???It???s not like the population is doubling,?????? Devine said. ???The official plan says we need to strengthen existing commercial zones.??????
She said that East Royalty is currently a beautiful entrance to the capital and doesn???t need to be inundated with commercial development.
Bernard noted that East Royalty is growing at a rapid pace, with four new subdivisions and a new soccer complex, which is currently under development.
???Some residents wonder why there is no grocery store.??????
As for Winsloe, the development is earmarked for 535 Malpeque Rd.
Coun. Peter McCloskey said he has already met with residents in the affected area and while some residents have a few concerns they all support the new retail project. He said a public meeting isn???t necessary and council agreed, giving the developer the green light to start.
McCloskey, who represents area residents, said the developer is putting up a nine-foot fence to act as a buffer.
The area in question is zoned commercial.
Devine said a public meeting should be held to let residents know just how big the project is and explain how it will affect traffic flow.
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