Charlottetown’s city council is organizing a public meeting in early September to gather feedback from residents on the proposed new zoning and development bylaw. This bylaw governs construction regulations and locations within the city. Coun. Alanna Jankov, the deputy mayor, mentioned that they have conducted several open house sessions and are currently reviewing the received feedback.
Jankov, who chairs the planning and heritage committee, expressed the importance of residents asking questions and seeking clarification during the upcoming meeting. She emphasized the council’s focus on addressing concerns raised by residents, particularly regarding the allowance of four units in certain residential areas.
One key issue highlighted by Jankov and some councillors is the concept of four units as-of-right, allowing homeowners to add up to three additional units to their primary residence in specific residential zones. Jankov emphasized that property owners must reside in the property they intend to convert into multiple units.
The city faced a setback of $1.26 million from Ottawa due to delays in implementing the new bylaw, including provisions for four units as-of-right. Charlottetown had signed an agreement with the federal government in 2024 under the Housing Accelerator Fund, requiring changes to building permits and zoning, but was deemed non-compliant during an annual review.
As Charlottetown gears up for a municipal election in November, Jankov expressed her desire for the council to finalize the bylaw before the election. She stressed the importance of completing the work initiated during the current term.
Coun. Mitchell Tweel proposed advertising the public meeting in a local newspaper via a full-page ad, a suggestion that Jankov supported. She highlighted the legal obligation to meet minimum advertising standards and hoped the newspaper promotion would attract a broader audience to the meeting. Jankov agreed with Tweel’s suggestion of running the ad multiple times for increased visibility.