Stratford town council says no to proposed subdivision

There won't be a new subdivision off Stratford Road in Stratford, P.E.I., any time soon.

The first reading to rezone the area from low-density residential to a planned-unit residential development zone was voted down four to two at the town's monthly meeting Wednesday.

Coun Gail MacDonald voted against the resolution.

"I feel surrounding areas including Reddin Heights, John Hamilton Drive, Campbell Drive are all R1 zoned homes, other than the church of course. So I don't feel the location is appropriate for PURD," she said at Tuesday's council meeting before voting against the resolution.

The roughly 5.5-hectaredevelopment, which was to be called Reddin Meadows, has been a source of controversy. In November of 2019 many residents voiced their concerns about it.

"Residents had concerns with a proposed 36-unit apartment building," said Jill Burridge, chair of the planning, development and heritage committee at the council meeting.

"After getting some feedback from council the developer has revised the development scheme, removing the 36-unit apartment building and replacing it with four five-unit town houses."

The latest public meeting was held through video conference, she said, That meeting took place in July and notifications were sent to residents. Burridge said at that meeting a petition against the development was received.

"Several residents expressed concerns about density and traffic," she said.

Burridge voted in favour of the rezoning.

"The developer was working with the residents to bring down the density which they did. And I just felt that this was an opportunity to bring in some innovative forms of housing," she said.

Burridge said she feels the rezoning would have allowed the project to go forward and the subdivision could have provided more housing options for young families entering the housing market.

Seniors housing moving forward

While rezoning for the proposed subdivision was shot down,voting on rezoning seniors' housing will go to a second reading.

Council voted unanimously to rezone a portion of land off Aintree Drive from low-density residential to planned unit residential zoning.

"Somewhere around 50 per cent of it is already zoned PURD," Burridge said,

"The northern half of it is R1, so they were looking for rezoning on the northern portion."

Burridge said the development creates an opportunity for housing options for those over 55.

"That is kind of their market,their demographic," she said.

Burridge said the reaction from residents in the area has been mixed.

"We had a few concerns with it. It is a very repetitive development. We were looking for more diversity," she said.

Burridge said the developer has spoken to town officials about changing some of the plan as the zoning goes to second reading.

"We're happy that they are willing to make a few changes," she said, adding she is hoping the development becomes more "innovative."

Burridge said both resolutions were familiar and she thinks there was just more support for seniors' housing.

"The model that was brought forward there, I think it is an existing model people know," she said.

"I think that's what I heard around the table. The other development may be looked at as a little more progressive and maybe outside the comfort zones of people on council."

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