Planning staff recommend council axe asphalt and concrete plant option for West Royalty

Staff at the City of Charlottetown are recommending to amend a recent city decision on asphalt and concrete plants.

At Tuesday night's planning board meeting, as part of several bylaw amendments, staff recommended removing the option of building an asphalt or concrete plant in the West Royalty Industrial Park. 

In June, the city approved an amendment to the development and planning bylaw that allowed the plants in M2 zones — there are two of those in the city: the West Royalty Industrial Park and sections of Sherwood Road.

Since then, residents and businesses in the area have been protesting the change, including filing an appeal to IRAC. 

Alex Forbes, manager of planning and heritage for Charlottetown, says after the decision was made in June, staff had another look at businesses in the industrial park and determined that a concrete or asphalt plant wouldn't fit with the types of businesses there. 

"The land uses in the industrial park is very different. They're more like business or business industrial, sort of, not heavy industrial," Forbes said.

"The Sherwood industrial area is much larger and there's much more of an opportunity to find a location in there for an asphalt plant that's not going to be contrary to, or incompatible with, its neighbours — or both municipal or provincial requirements."

Forbes said it's up to council, who may or may not want to make the amendment.

Planning board did not agree

The planning board did not agree with the change, they voted to send a recommendation to council to not approve the amendment for public consultation, which would be the next step to get it approved.

That motion will be discussed and voted on at the next council meeting on Sept. 12. 

Chapman Brothers Construction had confirmed its plans to build an asphalt plant on the Sherwood Road, but Forbes said an application has yet to be received.

The company had applied for a subdivision of the land and that was approved earlier this summer. 

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