Public meeting in the works for Charlottetown mini-home development

A request to rezone a large portion of land to build a mini-home subdivision in Charlottetown has been given the green light to go to a public meeting.

The property surrounds Friar Driveand extends to Norwood Road. Currently, it's designatedlow-density residential, which means the company that owns the land, P.E.I. Home & RV Centre, can build modular homes and duplexes. But developer Rob Hambly, who is with the company, would like to see that amendedto develop a mobile home neighbourhood with 59 lots.

"We have a manufactured housing subdivision and what we're wanting to do is expand it,"Hamblysaid.

"With material shortages now, the high demand for building on P.E.I., it's just driven up the cost of building, just almost out of reach for a lot of people."

He said with building costs increased anywhere from 10-20 per centand a sustained demand for housing on P.E.I., more options are needed for those looking to enter the housing market. And this development, said Hambly, would aim tooffer clients a new home for roughly the same as they'd pay for an apartment.

'Not your typical mini-home park'

"It's not going to be your typical mini-home park," said Hambly. "It's going to be the full width streets, just like any subdivision. And the client is going to own their own home and their own land, just like any subdivision and house package that you would normally see."

Hambly isn't anticipating a lot of opposition to his company's plans and said the land will continue to be developed whether or not the rezoning request is approved. But he said he's looking forward to hearing from area residents on the project.

"We want to do a very respectful new subdivision with some nice offerings," said Hambly."Certainly we're going to listen to our customers and residents in the area."

Public meeting slated for end of January

The request to take the rezoning application to a public meeting was approved at aCharlottetown planning board meeting this week. Officials with the city saidit'll likely be scheduled for the last week of January with a location to be determined based on interest in the project.

"We would probably try to have it at city hall," said Coun. Mike Duffy, chair of theplanning and heritage committee.

"But if we find that the turnout would be larger, we would be moving it somewhere like Rodd Royalty Hotel where there's wider spaces and we have various rooms out there that we could put people into in order to respect the [COVID-19]regulations."

Coun. Duffy said he hasn't heard any opposition to the project yet but said it usually takes time to get the word out about a new development before feedback starts to come in.

Once the public meeting has occurred, it will be up to council to approveor declinethe rezoning request.

If the rezoning is permitted, Hamblysaid he would like to see the first phase of the project get started by this fall.

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