[SUMMERSIDE, PE] — Summerside's council is set to vote next week on a zoning change that would allow the Silver Fox Inn to license its dining room.
The city's technical services committee met Monday night to review an application by the bed and breakfast's owner, Gary Svendsen, to change his tourist home / tea room to a tourist home / licensed restaurant. He requested the change in order to finalize an application with P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission.
The committee's chair, Coun. Cory Thomas, said he would recommend that council approve the application at next week's monthly meeting.
"I will be bringing forward at the August monthly meeting that we do grant the license under some strict rules and a development agreement signed that those rules be followed," said Thomas. "There were some (councillors) that didn't seem in favour, but I can't predict how council will go. I think what I'm recommending is a good compromise."
Thomas' proposal will suggest the Silver Fox Inn's restaurant close by 8 p.m., and that all diners vacate the premises by 10 p.m.
The inn, which sits in a residential area at 61 Granville St., has six guest rooms and a capacity for 16 diners in its restaurant.
Svendsen has said he doesn't want to operate a bar or pub, but simply to serve alcohol to guests of his inn and members of the public who dine there.
Some residents who live near the bed and breakfast came out to oppose the zoning change at a public meeting last month.
Last night they said enforcing parking and the liquor license conditions will be difficult for the city.
One of the neighbours, Peter Jendrick, was frustrated that neither the technical services committee nor the heritage committee made clear recommendations Monday night.
"To me, a heritage committee should be making a recommendation as to which way they see this. The heritage committee did ask a few questions ... but there wasn't really a clear answer to their questions," said Jendrick. "Those questions should be answered before councillors are making votes."
Thomas said there are public lots nearby that could be used to clear up any parking problems on the narrow side streets next to the inn.
"There's currently nothing that says people cannot park there (next to the inn). We may have police look at that and make a recommendation. As long as the Silver Fox Inn follows the rules, I think that should alleviate some of these concerns," said Thomas. "If we're going to grow as a community, we need these type of restaurants in our downtown. It encourages people to go downtown and have a nice meal."
The neighbouring residents, though, hope council votes against issuing the liquor license.
"I can guarantee that if this was being proposed on a street of any one of these city councillors, they would vote against it," said Jendrick.
