Prince Edward County council will seek legal advice before making a rezoning decision.
William Harney made a deputation, during the regular council meeting at Shire Hall on Tuesday night, to advocate for the zoning change.
The matter made its way to council because the rezoning didn’t receive a two-thirds majority vote during the planning committee meeting last week.
Harney is seeking a rezoning to allow for a loft to be built above his boathouse at 28 Fairfield Street.
Council decided, at its regular meeting at Shire Hall on Tuesday night, to defer a decision regarding the property at 28 Fairfield Street until legal advice has been sought.
Harney made an impassioned plea in council chambers to allow the re-zoning that would allow him to have lofts above his boathouse.
The property is currently zoned tourist commercial and Harney is seeking to have it re-zoned special tourist commercial.
He said he and his wife plan to stay in the lofts, as well as friends and family would also be staying there.
Harney said he on occasion would let the space out, which was the sticking point for many neighbours in the immediate and surrounding area.
Neighbours are worried about the space becoming a short term rental accommodation property.
Councillor Kate McNaughton noted during her campaign for election, she discovered Hill Street is what is called a ‘dark neighbourhood’ as there are as many as a quarter of those homes designated as short-term accommodations.
Councillor Janice Maynard, who sits on the Quinte Conservation Board, read the unanimous decision made by the environmental agency in regards to the property, a decision members of the audience audibly disagreed with.
Councillor Jamie Forrester then made the motion to defer this decision until the municipality sought a legal opinion as to the ramifications if they were to deny the zoning change.
Mayor Steve Ferguson expects it won’t take long before they obtain legal advice on the matter.
He told those around the horseshoe it is a complicated situation and while he gets the rational behind the idea, he admits it is a tough decision.
The decision on the matter will come forward at a later date.
