PE: City approves rezoning of land for shopping mall

[CHARLOTTETOWN, PE] — A shopping mall on two massive pieces of undeveloped land in Charlottetown moved one step closer to reality on Monday.

City council voted unanimously (councillors Terry Bernard and Mitchell Tweel were absent) to rezone the land at the corner of Malpeque Road and Spencer Drive from highway commercial zone and comprehensive development area to shopping centre commercial zone.


Council also approved a lot consolidation, subject to a pinned subdivision plan being submitted. The city is also expected to negotiate a development agreement to include such items as infrastructure cost-sharing, phases, design features of the site (such as landscaping, sidewalks, transit stop, bike racks, storm runoff and sustainable features).

Councillor David MacDonald voiced concern at the March public meeting over how the public is going to get to the mall.

“Access is one of the big issues,” MacDonald said.

Councillor Kim Devine, chair of planning, said it will be addressed in the development agreement and the matter will come back to council before it proceeds.

“The agreement includes a signalized intersection at Malpeque Road,” Devine said.

According to Don Poole, manager of planning, the developer has agreed to pay the cost of the traffic lights.

Plazacorp Retail Properties Limited is seeking the land for a shopping centre. Sobeys is said to be interested on moving its West Royalty grocery store to the new development. 
A public meeting was held recently with Plazacorp but there are still 
no details on possible tenants.

The land stretches east-west between Malpeque Road and Mount Edward Road and north-south between Spencer Drive and the bypass highway.

In Charlottetown, Plazacorp currently owns University Plaza which includes Smitty’s, Eastside Mario’s, Jumbo Video and others; Belvedere Plaza that includes the bigger Superstore, Indigo, Mark’s Work Wearhouse and others; UAS Plaza that houses Shoppers Drug Mart, Subway and TD Canada Trust across the road from the Charlottetown Mall; Spring Park Plaza that includes the downtown co-op grocery store and Value Village.