Snowplows can stay another year, says council

Charlottetown city council has voted to allow a snow removal company to stay in its current location in a residential neighbourhood for one more winter.

Last year, Chapman Bros Snow Clearing operated its business from a property on Ralden Avenue. It's a residential zone, but the business was able to operate there for one season under a temporary variance.

The company applied for another variance for this winter, which the planning board recommended that council reject. At the monthly meeting of council Tuesday night that motion was defeated.

Coun. Terry Bernard, chair of public works, put forward a new motion to extend the variance.

"We know that they've been scrambling," said Bernard.

"We know they've had a couple of real estate people hired to try and find them a building, and to no avail so far. So as public works chair, we had asked if we could use this location for this coming winter season, for the five months up until May 1, and that would be it."

Bernard said from a public works and public safety perspective, it is useful to have snow plows stored close to the areas they serve.

The motion was carried unanimously by council.

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With files from Sarah MacMillan