Label Construction and Sanitation has bought an old government-owned garage that nearby residents fear will be turned into a recycling depot. (CBC)

Summerside city council is holding a public meeting on Monday to discuss a plan to rezone a piece of land that used to be a government-owned garage.

Label Construction and Sanitation, which holds the contract for green and black bin pickup in the Summerside area, bought the property on Pope Road for roughly $400,000.

Residents are concerned about whether the company and its owner, Dean Crosby, will turn the building into a construction and demolition waste dump. Crosby has said he plans to store equipment and do recycling on the property.

Mayor Basil Stewart said he has scheduled a meeting for Monday night to discuss rezoning the site.

"The council, as I said, are not in favour of a recycling depot and neither are the neighbours," Stewart told CBC News on Tuesday. "We'll see how the thing unfolds."

The land on Pope Road currently falls under light industrial zoning, which permits a recycling depot. Stewart said city council wants to discuss changing the zoning so the site could only be used as a recycling depot if the council specifically allows it.

While the land was sold to Crosby's firm by the province, it has not changed hands yet and is still legally owned by the province.

Public meeting

Public Works Minister Ron MacKinley has tried to steer clear of the debate about how the site should be used. At a public meeting in January, he told people in the area it was up to city hall and the environment minister to issue permits.

"Has he [Crosby] got the deed? I don't think so," MacKinley said Tuesday.

"But he has agreement of sale to purchase it so if we broke that, we would be breaking a deal with Mr. Crosby and the province could be liable for consequences."

Ray Howatt, who chairs a group opposing the depot, said he believes there will be enough public support on Monday night to stop the plan.

"There are 300 or 400 residents here that are very concerned about this whole concept and they're supporting us all the way; city council is supporting us all the way," Howatt said. "So I don't think it will be a problem to get the public out.

"Everybody's opposed to it because it's just not the place for it. I mean, I don't know what Mr. MacKinley was thinking about whey they sold this land for that purpose."