A company that manufactures metal garbage and recycling bins has received permission to move its operations to a larger building even though such businesses are discretionary in the new area.
During its June 27 regular meeting, city council unanimously approved a discretionary use application for a “welding and fabrication shop” at 844 Snyder Road, which is currently zoned M4 environmental low-service industrial district. Corrpro Manufacturing wants to move its operations to that location near 13th Avenue Northeast from its current home at 690 Fairford Street West.
The 1,368-square-metre (15,200-square-foot) building on Snyder Road is for sale and applicant Richard Jankowski plans to use it to continue producing metal garbage, recycling and refuse bins while expanding his operations, a council report said.
This land use is discretionary in the M4 district because it could conflict with permitted uses in some circumstances, which means council reviews welding and fabrication shops and other uses on a case-by-case basis to prevent land-use conflicts, the report continued.
The zoning bylaw lays out several criteria for reviewing discretionary use applications.
Conformance to Official Community Plan
The proposed shop will provide job opportunities by allowing an existing business to expand its operations and relocate to an existing industrial district, the report said.
Demand for proposed use
Meanwhile, welding and fabrication shops are permitted in the M1 light industrial district, M2 heavy industrial district and M3 mixed-used business park industrial park. However, such shops are discretionary in the M4 district.
The M4 district near Snyder Road borders an M2 district to the south, said the report. A welding shop previously existed on a property south of 844 Snyder Road in 2017, while other such shops exist about 250 metres south and 435 metres southeast of the proposed property.
Effect on existing infrastructure
Snyder Road and 13th Avenue Northeast are local roads, so there are no concerns with the existing servicing for the property, while upgrades to area infrastructure are not anticipated, the report said.
Effect on adjacent land uses
Highway 1 extends along the east side of the M4 district, which also borders vacant floodway, while an M4f1 district exists to the north and an M2 district is to the south.
An R6 mobile home residential district is also to the west. While separation/buffer zones are usually recommended for industrial uses that border other zoning districts with potential land-use conflicts, city administration plans to review the current R6 district as part of an overhaul of the zoning bylaw.
Currently, most of the adjacent R6 district is vacant and city-owned land.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, July 11.
