Councillors here are not giving a rubber stamp to future development of a property at the intersection of Highway 6 and County Road 109 until its owners clean up the property.
The project has stood vacant and fenced for two years.
On Monday, council considered a bylaw to amend the site plan agreement with Avcom Investments Inc.
Mayor Mike Broomhead said there was some work done on the County Road 109 portion of the property on Monday, but the part along Highway 6 still needs work.
Clerk Lori Heinbuch said that part of phase two – the commercial plaza – is into phase one.
However, before building permits are issued for the plaza, there are requirements for an engineer’s certificate in respect to the subsurface servicing work, and that “the owner has improved the appearance of the property to a clean and tidy condition.”
The appearance will need to meet the reasonable satisfaction of the township.
“Until the property is cleaned up properly, it won’t be getting a building permit,” Heinbuch said.
She said the security deposit requirement was satisfied.
“The property will be cleaned up and the proponents are set to go ahead with the building of the plaza and completion of the car wash.”
She added that the developer has financing in place.
Broomhead said there was a meeting with the township solicitor Nov. 19 before council considered the agreement one more time.
He said they want to ensure financing is in place before proceeding.
After the original agreement was passed in 2007, it was amended in October 2007, and again in September 2008.
This makes the third time the agreement has been amended.
Councillor Dan Yake was irritated the site could not have been cleaned up before council needed to again amend the agreement.
“It’s been sitting there for two years. It’s the biggest eyesore in the whole township … and we’re allowing this to go through.
“It states that the owner has to do this and that … but I don’t have much faith in it.”
He added that councillor John Matusinec lives nearby.
Heinbuch said the developer, in order to get financing, requires the township to amend the agreement.
“Otherwise he won’t receive the financing. And if he doesn’t get the financing, we can expect to see the property sit.”
Broomhead said that is why the township solicitor recommended passing the agreement with the understanding that the site needs to be cleaned before a building permit is issued.
He said the township will determine the level of satisfaction for the cleanup.
Matusinec agreed the site is an eyesore.
Yake said, “A guy going on the outside of the fence with a weedeater, doesn’t, in my mind, constitute cleaning up the site … on the afternoon that this is coming to council.”
Council passed the amendment, but Yake remained opposed.
