three rivers council rejects proposed 24-unit apartment development in montague
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three rivers council rejected a mixed-use development that would have added 24 apartment units and office space in montague.
the guardian
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a proposed three-storey mixed-use development that would have added 24 apartment units and office space in montague has been rejected by three rivers council following concerns raised by residents and some councillors.
council voted 4-2 against a motion to approve the project, which was proposed for property at the corner of gual road and murphy lane.
the development would have included 24 residential units and 3,000 square feet of office space. the town’s planning board had recommended approval.
before the vote, councillors debated concerns that had been raised by nearby residents over traffic, the size of the building and how the project would fit into the surrounding neighbourhood.
residents’ concerns
coun. wayne spin said he had spent time speaking directly with residents on gaul road before the meeting.
“lots are definitely not in favour of it,” spin said. “whether it’s the street is in such bad shape, it’s too big, it’s everything.”
spin said he believed his responsibility was to represent the people affected by the proposal.
“what i have heard and listened to, i will not be supporting this,” he said.
three rivers coun. wayne spin said during a vote to reject an apartment development in montague that he believed his responsibility was to represent the people affected by the proposal.
contributed
coun. cindy maclean also opposed the development, saying she did not believe all of the concerns raised by residents had been adequately addressed.
“i think there needs to be more,” maclean said. “i believe there should be a study for the traffic.”
maclean said a traffic review circulated to council did not provide enough information.
“it didn’t answer a whole lot of questions. it was very vague,” she said. “in my opinion, transportation dropped the ball on this, and i’m putting it on our shoulders. so, no, i’m not putting this through.”
project meets criteria
coun. anne van donkersgoed spoke in support of the project, arguing council had a responsibility to consider developments based on existing planning rules.
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“while i appreciate the concerns of the residents, we have a legal obligation to follow the rules set out in our official plan and bylaws,” she said.
van donkersgoed noted the property is located in a mixed-use zone and said the proposal met the requirements of the town’s official plan and bylaws.
she also pointed to a housing shortage, particularly for smaller units.
“there is a desperate need for affordable housing, especially studio apartments and one-bedroom apartments, and this will meet some of those,” she said.
prior to council’s vote, randy mitchell, a resident of lower montague and co-owner of anchor construction group, addressed council and responded to concerns that had been raised during an earlier public meeting on the development.
mitchell said the province had determined a formal traffic impact assessment would not be required for the project. he told council that he also conducted his own traffic count along gaul street and said he did not believe the development would create significant traffic issues.
mitchell said discussions with the department of transportation and infrastructure had resulted in plans to widen the road’s right-of-way by two metres, entirely on the developer’s property, to allow for two-way traffic.
trees, green space
another speaker at the meeting, darlene scott, urged council to place greater emphasis on protecting mature trees and preserving green space as development continues in the community.
scott said mature trees provide important environmental benefits, including reducing flooding, cooling urban areas and storing carbon. she said green space and tree protection should be more explicitly considered in planning decisions.
“montague settlement is filled with trees,” scott told council. “so many, in fact, that they seem dispensable. they’re not.”
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scott also called on the town to explore a tree protection bylaw and establish a community advisory committee focused on the municipal tree canopy. she said mature trees should be viewed as community assets and considered during the review of future development proposals.
mitchell also acknowledged concerns about limited green space on the site of the proposed project, saying that parking requirements were restricting the amount of open space that could be included in the design.
neighbourhood character
following the vote, mayor debbie johnston described the decision as a challenging one.
“i just want to say this has been a very difficult decision. it’s been talked about a great deal,” johnston said.
johnston said council faces ongoing challenges balancing the need for housing with concerns about neighbourhood character, green space and development density.
she noted that future bylaw changes could provide council with additional tools to require more green space and tree preservation in similar projects.
“i understand the residents’ concerns,” johnston said. “that area is changing, and change does happen.”
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vivian ulinwa is a reporter for the guardian in prince edward island. she can be reached at vulinwa@postmedia.com and followed on x @vivian_ulinwa.
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