IN CANADA, NAPANEE COUNCILS GIVES IN

Napanee council approves Wal-Mart expansion [Napanee Guide (Canada)]

After months of debate, Greater Napanee council, at their June 24 meeting, voted to approve an application by Wal-Mart and the developer of the site, Calloway REIT, to allow for a 40,000 square foot addition. The expansion has been a bone of contention with council and many members of the public since it was first proposed.

“The situation we’re in is that the arguments in favour of it were much better than the ones against it,” said Napanee chief administrative officer Ray Callery.

Callery was referring to the approval the application received from town planning officials and two private planning consultants, all of whom found that the expansion did not violate the town’s official plan.

Had council rejected the proposal, it likely would have been challenged by Wal-Mart and Calloway REIT before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). Given that Napanee’s own planning consultants approved of the plan, Callery said it would have been very difficult for the town to win before the OMB.

If the town had lost, there was a good chance Napanee would have to cover Wal-Mart and REIT Calloway’s costs. These might have run well over $100,000.

Several councillors noted that they were uncomfortable with the town’s position, saying they felt they had no choice but to approve the expansion, given the high costs associated with an OMB appeal.

“I feel we’re being held at ransom. I know it’s procedure and everything, but I feel the municipality is being held at ransom and I don’t like it,” said councillor Shane Grant.

If the expansion is completed, it will allow Wal-Mart to offer a full range of supermarket products and services. A number of existing retail outlets have raised concerns before council about their ability to compete with an expanded Wal-Mart, particularly in terms of food sales. Many residents who attended earlier council meetings expressed similar worries, along with concerns over increased traffic in the area.

According to the test established by Napanee’s official plan, a commercial application of the scale proposed is allowed if it is proven that it will not cause “urban blight” or seriously hinder the overall environment of a business district. Every town is required to have an official plan under the Ontario Planning Act. It sets down the rules for development as well as the vision for the community.

Council deferred the decision on the expansion at their meeting on June 10. At the time Greater Napanee mayor Gord Schermerhorn expressed his desire to see the size of the addition limited.

Napanee officials met with representatives from Wal-Mart and Calloway REIT to discuss the possibility of reducing the size of the expansion. According to Callery, Wal-Mart expressed their intention to proceed with the original application.

Posted by Joel Nezianya on Monday, June 30, 2008

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