By Barbara Rayner, The Courier
ST. GEORGE • Land owner Charlie Avery is asking Eastern CharlotteCouncil to consider meeting with him to discuss what they would like to see developed at 110 Mount Pleasant Road.
Avery purchased the 4.4 acre lot, which is currently zoned agriculture/forestry, for $87,500 and in order for any development
other than a single family dwelling to take place, it would have to be rezoned.
This is a vacant piece of property with a frontage of 291 feet and a depth of 633 feet. The town’s water and sewer lines run along the entire front of the property with a fire hydrant on the north east corner.
When the request for rezoning to sub-divide the property into four separate lots came before council, there was no seconder after Coun. Adam Hatt put the motion on the floor so it was lost without even being voted on.
Avery said he emailed a letter to council members in January asking what they would like to see developed on that lot.
“I have let them know different times that I would be happy to sit down with council and discuss any potential plans that would allow affordable housing. Unfortunately, it only seems to fall on deaf ears. As of today, the only council member who has replied to the letter is Adam Hatt.
“I would think council would be eager to sit down and talk about possible proposals that would best serve and help support the very community and municipality that they are representing especially in the times we are living in today dealing with a housing crisis as never seen before.”
Avery questioned whether council is serving the public’s best interest. In the past he said he has spoken to different provincial
representatives who were in support of any proposal that would allow for residential development on the property but, since then, there has been a change in government.
“I see an inexperienced council that most likely knows very little about small town economics and what it takes for a community to thrive in a very competitive world. A council that shoots down a positive residential growth opportunity is to be questioned.”
Avery said developing this property would bring new families into the community and would generate extra tax dollars but it seems this council would rather see non-productive land sit vacant.
He disputes those who claim the property is farmland. He said it has never operated as commercial farmland or put a meal to market as the property is too small and impractical to use for agriculture.
If developed, he said, it would provide homes for families as well as creating jobs, supporting local merchants and store owners, and making it more attractive for any new businesses wanting to come to the area.
Before he submits another proposal, Avery said he is seeking a legal opinion on whether two members of council were breaching code of conduct and conflict of interest guidelines. If that is the case, he said, this should be dealt with.
According to the province’s Local Governance Commission, conflict of interest rules exist to prevent councillors from using their positions to gain financial benefit or advantage for themselves or family members.
One possibility for the property, said Avery, would be building affordable residential units on the land. He said these are what are needed today as people, especially seniors, don’t want to contend with cutting grass or shovelling snow.
“Outside of the mayor (John Craig) and possibly one or two other council members I’m convinced that Eastern Charlotte Council lacks the knowledge and ability to steer the community into a growing and prosperous future.
“I can’t help but think that council’s inadequacy to participate in talks of beneficial growth to the community should warrant their
resignation for the betterment of the municipality as a whole.
“As a taxpayer of Eastern Charlotte, I feel we could be spending our taxpayer dollars on better leadership much needed to help steer the municipality into a brighter future.”
Mayor John Craig said Avery can come back to council as many times as he wants as long as it is a different proposal each time. As for the request to meet with council to discuss a future proposal, Craig said he would have to ask councillors if they are willing to do that.
“I would have to ask council if they are willing to sit down with him and try to find common ground where both sides are happy. To me, it is always good to sit down and find a compromise so everybody is happy. Nobody is going to get everything they want.”
If council is not in favour of such a move, Craig said Avery can submit a new plan and see what happens.
Chief Administrative Officer Jason Gaudet said the lot would have to be rezoned from agriculture/forestry if anything other than a single family dwelling was built on it.
He said it would be possible to put three housing lots on the front of the property and leave a driveway for Avery to build a home for himself at the back.
These lots would be similar in size to two housing lots further down the road and that land was sub-divided on the approval of a former St.George town council in 1985.
