Charlottetown aims to add homes by rezoning parts of city from low to medium density

The City of Charlottetown is hoping to increase housing density in the city by rezoning portions of it from low to medium density.

Eight zoning and development bylaw amendments passed first reading at the regular meeting of Charlottetown's city council on Tuesday night, most of them aimed at providing more housing options across the city.

"A lot of people have this misconception that medium density means high-rise apartment buildings, but it doesn't; it means gentle infill," said Charlottetown Deputy Mayor Alanna Jankov, who also chairs the planning and heritage committee.

"It means being respectful to communities, building townhouses, building tiny apartment buildings, building duplexes and homes with accessory suites and things like that

"We have potentially approved 1,100 units that could be developed over the coming years, but all through medium density. We're not looking at high rises. We're looking at preserving the communities and doing it with a level of class."

Some of the bylaw amendments were aimed at currently proposed developments.

For example, city council voted unanimously in favour of rezoning a portion of Mount Edward Road from low to medium density to make way for a multi-phased project that could eventually create about 150 units in the area. Phase 1 is a 47-unit apartment building with underground parking.

According to city documents, some residents have raised concerns about additional traffic in the area, something Coun. Mitch Tweel echoed during the council meeting.

"If you look at Mount Edward Road, there is industrial traffic, there is commercial traffic, residential traffic. The traffic is just unprecedented — no different than, probably, what you see on North River Road," he said.

"With all this development, there is a cost to the municipality, to provide the necessary prerequisite infrastructure, and ... I am going to ask our staff to set up the process for a traffic plan for Mount Edward Road. I think it's long overdue."

Traffic is increasing along with the population, but that's not a reason to stop building housing, Jankov said.

"That is the city's responsibility, to look at traffic flow and traffic studies, which we will do and we [fully intend] to do that. But we can't stop growth because we're concerned with traffic, because you are going to have the traffic. We have to deal with that, but we can't stop development," Jankov said.

"We [have] less than a one per cent vacancy rate in the City of Charlottetown. People need somewhere to live. People need affordable places to live."

The city is also trying to encourage building near transit routes so that new residents can be less reliant on cars, Jankov said. 

Charlottetown's city council also approved zoning to allow a five-storey, 41-unit building at 139 Kensington Rd., a nine-unit townhouse at 171-181 Kensington Rd. and a four-unit townhouse on Evelyn Street.

The city is seeking feedback on updating the Zoning and Development Bylaw. There are two public meetings this week: one on Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Simmons Sports Centre and one on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at West Royalty Community Centre.

The new Zoning and Development Bylaw should come to council for a vote in the next six weeks, Jankov said.