DECISION DELAYED IN TILLSONBURG, CANADA

Council defers Wal-Mart decision [Tillsonburg News (Canada)]

Tillsonburg council has followed the advice of Oxford’s planning department and deferred a decision on the application for a big new Wal-Mart store here.

In the application, SmartCentres, the applicant, is proposing a 250,000 sq. ft. development - including a 175,000 sq. ft. Wal-Mart store with a large food component - at Tillsonburg’s north end.

The application has been amended over the past year to go ahead in stages.

If approved, 2010 would see the opening of the 175,000 sq. ft. department store and 25,000 sq. ft. of ancillary retail and services. Another 50,000 sq. ft of ancillary uses would be opened over the next two years for a total of 75,000 sq. ft.

Also, the county’s peer reviewer of the SmartCentre studies, has recommended that non-food retail uses for ancillary pads be restricted to a maximum gross floor area of 3,500 sq. ft., and that financial institutions/banks, liquor stores, professional offices and other uses exclusive to the Central Commercial Zone (downtown) not be allowed as permitted uses on the site.

In their updated, supplementary planning report, Oxford planners cite two unresolved issues and recommended the application be deferred until these outstanding issues have been addressed.

The Ministry of Transportation Ontario has concerns regarding the development and want certain off-site improvements addressed, and the county must first complete its Commercial Review Policy as per its 2008 business plan.

Tillsonburg council agreed and adopted the recommendation to defer, but added that this motion in no way reflects a decision in this matter.

Councillor Dave Beres and Chris Rosehart declared a possible conflict of interest and excused themselves from the matter, as they have in all previous meetings.

And Councillor Brian Stephenson voted against the motion because he said he wants to just get on with it and decide.

After two large public meetings at the Lions Auditorium with hundreds attending each time, barely 45 people attended Monday night’s council meeting with nearly half coming from the planning department and the applicant.

First council dealt with an application by the applicant to address council, which they turned down.

“I think we have given everyone plenty of opportunity to make their case,” said Councillor Brian Stephenson. “If we allow this we have to allow everyone else and I don’t think we want to go there again. We’ve had the public meetings.”

Former Mayor Irv Horton also asked to be heard, but his request was made merely to have a response in case the applicant was permitted to comment again.

Deputy Mayor Mark Renaud voiced his concerns about MTO comments and the fact there was even a consideration to close the intersection of Quarterline Road and Broadway (Highway 19) close to the proposed development.

“And I also think it is grossly unfair to Sobeys to even consider moving the traffic signals from their existing location.”

In agency comments received to date, MTO had concerns about the proposed new collector road of the development that would intersect Highway 19 too close to the Quarterline Road intersection. They suggested relocating Quarterline and creating a new intersection further to the south and placing the signal lights now serving Sobeys there.

“Of course we can’t defer this forever,” Renaud said, “but I don’t think we have all the information at this time, we’re just not there yet.”

He also said that he heard from the people who have said Tillsonburg needs better stores, and that it isn’t really a case of stopping Wal-Mart from coming here, “they are already here.

“And I am pro development, but it has to be right and we need a lot more information.”

Steve Lund, the town’s director of operations told council he suggested the developer to talk to MTO and there have been meetings, but he has not seen anything official at this time.

Councillor Sam Lamb said he wants the outstanding issues addressed before he would consider making any kind of decision.

Mayor Stephen Molnar said this is a difficult issue for the community, especially given the challenging economic times.

He said, while council wants to create a good climate for business and encourages new developments, they also have a legacy to protect. By that legacy he means the progressive and aggressive development of the downtown area by councils going back several decades.

And he asked planning staff to consider the influence of other regional shopping centres, such as Oxford’s, on Tillsonburg as well as the potential impact of a large grocery component in the proposed department store.

“Clearly these are difficult times to decide something of this magnitude and potential impact on our community and we must have all the answers to make the right decision for the municipality,” Molnar said.

Councillor Fred Lewis echoed those comments saying past councils have invested millions and millions of dollars in the downtown over the years in an effort to keep it a strong and vibrant centre for the community.

“Frankly, I believe the way the project is currently configured, it is the wrong project, at the wrong time and in the wrong location,” Lewis said.

“Ten or 15 years from now, perhaps, but not now.”

He urged the applicant to go back to the drawing board.

Lewis said he believes in economic development, but only “if it meets our values and commitments. This is a risk we can’t take now.”

County planners told council they will accelerate the policy review process, but it would take at least until the middle of next year. That shouldn’t create a problem for the applicant, as construction is not scheduled to go ahead until 2010.

As to the outstanding issue of water availability for the development, council heard the north-end booster system, scheduled for completion in 2009, should address those issues.