MAPLETON – A bylaw to rezone a Drayton property to permit a commercial martial arts studio will be considered by council at an upcoming meeting.
Wellington County planner Jessica Rahim told council at a Jan. 14 public meeting the county has no objections to the proposal.
Owners Pauls Ferreirinha and Khen Hopmans applied to rezone the property at 16 Spring Street from medium density residential (R2) to residential transition in order to accommodate the studio use in addition to the existing residential use.
The property, a former church building, has been used as a dance studio and a music studio in the past.
The rezoning application lists complimentary classes such as yoga as other possible uses for the studio.
No members of the public spoke in favour or in opposition to the proposal at the public meeting and no written objections were received by the township prior to the meeting.
Parking concerns
While indicating he was “in general pretty supportive” of the proposal, councillor Paul Douglas said he is concerned about plans for parking at the rear of the property.
He noted there is “an abundance of municipal parking” nearby and said he was concerned the parking spaces could lead to drainage issues.
Rahim noted the applicants are required through the site plan approval process to provide on-site parking.
However, she noted, “They do have additional parking from what’s required … They provided eight (spaces) where six is only required.”
“So when it was a dance studio it didn’t require it?” asked Mayor Gregg Davidson.
“The dance studio existed when I came,” said chief building official Patty Wright. “It was just an existing situation really.”
