BRUCEDALE – Guelph-Eramosa councillors have no qualms permitting temporary, on-site storage at 203 Alma Street for no more than three years.
Wellington County planner Meagan Ferris spoke to councillors on Feb. 24 regarding the request for the zoning bylaw amendment.
She noted the 0.38 acre property is the current site of the Rockwood Foodland store and has access via Alma and Inkerman Streets.
Ferris said the intent is to seek a bylaw amendment to temporarily permit on-site storage on the property.
She noted there has been outside storage on the property for some time.
The bylaw would allow these uses to continue for another three years.
Ferris noted that as part of the application, staff met with the proponents to identify items required to support the application.
She added that due to the nature of the application, staff sought a justification study report, updated site plan and a property survey.
From a policy perspective, Ferris stated the property is located within the urban centre of Rockwood within a residential transition area.
She noted under the county official plan, the township is allowed to consider temporary bylaws for uses not usually permitted.
Decisions would take into account duration, parking and compatibility.
Ferris said the site currently has a C2 zoning, but these storage and shipping containers are not normally allowed.
She said the matter originally cropped up as a bylaw enforcement issue which needed to be addressed.
“The intent is to address this on a temporary basis – as there is an alternate long-term solution being worked upon by Sobeys Corporation,” she said.
Planning staff is satisfied with the documents received.
“Ultimately what I’m asking for today is if council is also satisfied, that we deem the application complete and move forward sending out notices of completion and to also set up a public meeting,” Ferris said.
As part of the public meeting process, Ferris would draft an information report for presentation.
She stressed no decision would be made at the public meeting, it would be simply to provide information and gather input.
Mayor Chris White said that over the past few years Foodland has done a good job in that location.
“They have more than doubled their sales and it is much busier,” he said.
“It is also a small store and the refrigerated storage containers needed to be located outside the building to provide the services the public wants.
“The difficulty is that the current bylaws were designed so these trailers or containers would not be everywhere.”
White added that the containers are temporary.
“The idea is that … as soon as the store moves across the street, these freezers and containers will disappear,” White said.
“This is an absolutely core service for this community.
“They’ve done a fantastic job with this store … at the end of the day allowing them to leave the freezers on their own property temporarily makes sense to me.”
Councillor Mark Bouwmeester asked “how firm is it that this will only be three years?”
Ferris said the temporary use bylaw is designed initially for a three-year period not more.
Council can extend that time period later, if required Ferris added.
The zoning bylaw amendment will temporarily permit an existing outdoor storage area on the subject lands for a period of three years until a long-term solution for storage option can be provided.
The storage area includes two shipping containers, two refrigerator structures, a shed and garbage bins.
Council agreed to move the process forward.
