Tuesday, July 2, 2013

City trying to protect home of former PEI premier, federal MP


Photo cf. www.city.charlottetown.pe.ca
Published June 29, 2013
Guardian Newspaper website: www.theguardian.pe.ca
by Dave Stewart  dstewart@theguardian.pe.ca
     Charlottetown's planning board is looking to give the home of former P.E.I. Premier Donald Farquharson heritage status.
     Farquharson was premier of P.E.I. from 1899-1901 and was later a federal MP.
The home in question is located at 77 Upper Prince Street and is currently the subject of a rezoning request.
     Chances Family Centre is proposing to buy the large residential property and use it as their administration offices.  They are asking the city to rezone the property to institutional.
As in the case with rezoning proposals in the capital city, a public meeting must be held to discuss it.  That happened on Wednesday night.
     Coun. Rob Lantz, chair of the planning board, said there was a lot of support for the Chances organization and the work they do for families in the community but there was also some concern with the rezoning and the effect on traffic and the residential atmosphere of the street.  'Many people indicated support if the property could be  rezoned conditional on it returning to a residential zone after Chances vacates or sells the property," Lantz said.  "Unfortunately, the provincial Planning Act does not allow the city to do conditional or contract rezoning that would be required for such an arrangement."
     However, Lantz noted that the property itself has significant historical and architecture value.  "It is a beautiful second empire, mansard style home previously owned by Donald Farquaharson."
     Planning board has agreed to consider the rezoning only if the property was also given heritage status to protect the building.
     The board will consider the public feedback before issuing a recommendation to city council for its July 8 public meeting at City Hall.  dstewart@theguardian.pe.ca
Photo cf. www.city.charlottetown.pe.ca
Photo cf. Remax website

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