Sylvie Hotte and Bill Hodgeman are actively opposing official plan amendment and rezoning applications that would see their MacPherson Drive home in East Ferris sitting beside an industrial manufacturing garage.
A petition circulated Thursday was signed by 70 area residents by Friday evening. They also sent a letter to the municipality for the planning advisory board to consider during its virtual public hearing on the matter Wednesday, Dec. 16. Other comments on the applications will also be on the agenda.
Paige Engineering Ltd., owned by John and Joanne Paige residing on a nearby waterfront lot, seeks to change the designation of the property from rural to 'lands for economic development.' The rezoning would change the eight acres from agricultural to a general industrial special zone (M2S) to allow the explosive manufacturing and delivery equipment business to operate. (Municipal staff confirm that no explosives will be manufactured or stored at the site, the company builds vehicles and equipment used to store and deliver explosives.) The existing garage would be renovated and used for a light manufacturing operation and there are plans to mitigate noise and emission concerns, states a municipal notice.
“This is not considered smart growth,” Hotte and Hodgeman wrote, suggesting there must be better places for this kind of operation in the township.
They said they are $25,000 into a $100,000 refurbishment of their home, purchased a couple of years ago. The large garage beside their property sits about 11 metres from MacPherson Drive and 24 metres from the Hotte/Hodgeman property. It was used for storage by the previous owners, they said.
“This application is irresponsible and has consequences for our personal privacy as well as the future peaceful enjoyment of our property,” they wrote, noting the danger for traffic that already exists due to the twists and turns of that section of the road.
“It is incomprehensible that an application proposing an M2S use would be supported or considered in a residential area, which by design of the sharp bends in the road” would cause safety issues when used by transport or other commercial vehicles, they state.
They are already concerned with the traffic levels as more people seem to be using the roadway to access the municipal boat launch at the east end of MacPherson Drive.
This is in addition to the anticipated increase generated from the 25-lot subdivision (that has been approved pending a Local Planning Appeal Tribunal ruling) west of their property, they said.
Their letter and other submissions will be part of the public hearing next Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. with Hotte and Hodgeman among the potential virtual presenters depending on time. Worth noting, the municipality has asked the applicant to provide more information in their presentation to PAC. The public can watch the proceedings via livestream through the East Ferris YouTube channel.
Council is scheduled to consider the planning advisory committee’s recommendation Jan. 12, 2021.
Dave Dale is a Local Journalism Reporter with BayToday.ca. LJI is funded by the Government of Canada.
