A proposal for a large warehouse/distribution facilities along with self storage units on 10 hectares of vacant property at Blessington Road and Highway 37 in Thurlow ward continues to draw strong opposition from residents living nearby.
The owner of County Transport and County Courier is asking for a rezoning of the property to General Industrial from the current Prime Agricultural.
Speaking for County Transport and County Courier, at Tuesday night’s meeting of Belleville’s Planning Advisory Committee, was Spencer Hutchison of RFA Planning Consultants Inc.
Hutchison said the new application featured a smaller footprint, larger setbacks, and more landscaping, including a berm along one side of the property.
In Belleville’s 2002 Official Plan the property is part of a wider area designated as industrial and Hutchison said one third of the land will be greenspace, much more than the 5% required under regulations.
“I just want to put it into context. You’ve all dealt with rezonings that people are asking for relief, for less than what is required and all we’re saying is that we understand the issues and we’re willing to move the buildings back and be held to them.”
Under the proposal there would be three 30,000 sq. ft. warehouse/distribution facilities along with one building containing self-storage units. The construction of the facilities would be phased in over time.
Residents near the proposed development Bruce Mackay and Amy Porter both gave detailed presentations to the committee in strong opposition to the amended proposal.
Porter questioned some of the assumptions in RFA’s planning report and said that despite the area being designated as Industrial in the Official Plan the city has continued to allow rural residential development to proceed there over the years.
Mackay said the development was inappropriate for the area, which was mostly residential and linked to the hamlet of Cannifton.
He suggested it would be much better placed near the new fairgrounds property near Highway 401 and Black Diamond Road.
Residents’ main concerns continue to be increased traffic and noise from early morning until late night from trucks going in and out. There were concerns about the facilities adversely affecting the water supply.
According to the applicants there would be 48 trucks going in and out of the site on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, Mayor Mitch Panciuk gave his opinion on the issue, saying he might not be able to attend the future Planning Advisory Committee meeting where a staff recommendation would come to a vote.
Panciuk said he would not support the proposal because of the traffic and noise concerns but also because the applicant didn’t seem to make much of an effort to get buy-in from nearby residents.
“If you want to make changes or modifications to what is permitted under our land use by-laws then you need to have some conversations and dialogue with your neighbours.”
Belleville’s planning staff will bring a recommendation to a future meeting of the Planning Advisory Committee for decision.