Lakeshore Advance, 2013-05-22, Page 3Wednesday, May 22, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 3
Chamber supports Lambton Shores efforts
CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 1
to Council by Lambton Shores Municipal
staff.
"The Chamber's Board of Directors
expresses concern over a recent anony-
mous petition circulating through Grand
Bend and cautions local business owners
in accepting the petition's contents at face
value. We encourage Members to educate
themselves on the current system in place
and to understand the democratic proc-
ess at the Municipal level through which
Municipal staff provides Council with
research and options and in turn Council
provide staff with decisions and direc-
tions," signed by the Chamber president
Glen Baillie and vice Mark Lewis.
The document explained that parking
requirements apply to every business and
residence in Lambton Shores - seasonal
or year-round. The quantity of parking
spots required differs based on the type of
commercial activity and type of
residence.
"'Ihe Lambton Shores Zoning Bylaw 1
of 2003 - pages 66 through 72 - outlines
the quantity of parking spots required for
each business and residence type. For
example, a "retirement home" is required
to have one parking spot per three beds; a
convenience store is required to have one
parking spot per 20 square metres of gross
floor area; a golf course is required to have
eight parking spots per tee; a hotel is
required to have one parking spot per bed
and one parking spot per 20 square metres
of communal eating and entertainment
area; a restaurant is required to have one
parking spot per 4 square metres of floor
area used by the public and devoted
exclusively to public use, including out-
door seating areas; a retail store is required
to have one parking spot per 37 square
metres of ground floor area.
The Zoning Bylaw acknowledges that
not all business locations have enough
physical space to install the required
number of parking spots. This situation
gparises most often when a new business is
enovating an older building that was
used for a different purpose than that of
the new business - such as when a restau-
rant is going into a retail space or when a
business is expanding the physical space
devoted to commercial activity - such as
when a hotel changes a physical area of its
property into patio space"
Cash -in -Lieu Exceptions Support Busi-
ness Growth
The Zoning Bylaw enables the change
in building use or expansion of use by per-
mitting the business to contribute money
towards the development of a parking
spot on Municipal property - this is the
"cash -in -lieu" system. The business makes
a payment to the Municipality based on
the adjusted required quantity of parking
spots (in Grand Bend $1,000; in Forest
$200).
The "cash -in -lieu" system supports
business growth by enabling a business to
comply with the Zoning Bylaw in a cost
effective means, as the business owner
does not need to purchase additional
property for the sole purpose of installing
parking spots and is not prevented froln
changing a building's use or expanding
the cotnmercial use of the current lot size.
AT ISSUE
On February 22, 2011, Council permit-
ted a commercial change of use at 29 Main
Street West, Grand Bend, which raised the
issue of Cash -in -Lieu parking payments
being applied equally to all businesses.
The Main Street West building use
changed from a small multi -cottage rental
business to a sit-down restaurant with
outdoor patio space; Under the Zoning
Bylaw, the new owner/occupant (Sun-
baked Cafes) was required to provide 32
additional parking spots and if an excep-
tion to the Zoning Bylaw was needed,
then a Cash -in -Lieu payment covering the
additional parking spots would be
required. Sunbaked Cafe appealed to
Council to waive the cash -in -lieu parking
requirement for a number of reasons,
including the close proximity of a Munici-
pal parking lot and that the outdoor patio
area would account for the majority of res-
taurant patrons (i.e. 45 people) and would
be seasonal.
MORE TO CONSIDER
At the time of Council's decision, they
were also reviewing various reports from
Senior Planner Patti Richardson regarding
parking options and how other munici-
palities handle similar situations. In some
municipalities downtown core businesses
are exernpt from the requirement of pro-
viding parking spots or cash -in -lieu alter-
natives. This special handling of down-
town core businesses then raises the
question of what is the definition of
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"downtown core" and how does this apply
to Grand Bend?
At one Council Meeting, Chamber Pres-
ident Glen Baillie summarized (in part)
some of the feedback garnered at the
Chamber's Parking Summit held August
2011:
"In broad terns, the Chamber supports
pay in lieu so long as the rates are not egre-
gious and the money goes directly to pro-
viding parking spaces in the immediate
community. Correctly done, the money is
reasonably well spent, and the business
that pays gets an asset that provides value
at the time of sale. 11- the fees are elimi-
nated, the business which has paid sees
their asset value eliminated as veli:"
ROLE OF MUNICIPAL STAFF
"Municipal staff are directed by Council
to do the "leg work" in researching various
subjects and issues and providing reports
that at tittles include summaries of other
municipalities' decisions on similar issues,
benchmarking from other locales, lists of
options to consider and context for cur-
rent decisions based on our Municipal
collective past," said the report adding,
"Council meetings are the correct and
appropriate venue for council to review
and discuss staff reports and for staff to
engage Council in discussion and to
receive direction from Council. "
Anonymous Petition & Letter to the
Chamber's Board of Directors
'Ihe report explained to their members
that a recent anonymous petition
SIMON DFSJARDiNE
CFP, CLU, RHU, EPC
Certified Financial Planner,
Chartered lift ('ndvrwn er
519-238-6399
55 Ontario St. N. Grand Bend
• Investment Funds • RRSP's
• Insurance • Mortgages
"In Rutinett Sancti Year 1000, Our panto" It your surerst,„
circulating in Lambton Shores, with focus on garnering Grand
Bend's business community support especially of the seasonal
businesses, implies that Council acknowledge that at "one time
there was plenty of parking" and that "seasonal businesses" con
tribute year-round to the Municipality and in fact "generate tour
isle" to the area, but that they cannot afford tt) ope'rate` year
round due to "lack of traffic and tourism in the winter months':
The letter to Lambton Shores businesses stated.,." that "coon
cal immediately set'k staff, which can +ppr'ciate the unique cont
mitments it takes to operate businesses in !Ambient Shores" and
that staff "respect(s) and appreciate. 'seasonal businesses' contra
billion to Lambton Shores':
"the heads of the (rand Bend Chamber stated, "'lhe petition
quotes Senior Planner Patti Richardson out of context and in
fact, the quotation does nothing to undermhu' either staff or
Council's role in the democratic process of reviewing infornua
tion or engaging in discussion:'
Additionally, they said the Board of Directors of the (land
Bend & Area ('hamper of Cotirriwt'ce received a cent cont.
slxnhdence that requests the Chamber "express your displeasure
to the municipality and Council with Nis. Richardson's
comments':
BOARD OF DIRECTORS STATEMENT
"After reviewing the Zoning Bylaw 1 of 2003, the Council
Agenda package' of May 2, 2013 and the various parking and
cash in lieu rt ports of Senior Planner Patti Richardson, as well as
the petition, the [loan! of Directors is in full support of 1 iunhton
Shores Council and staff Mot is in reviewing parking and cash
in -lieu alternatives from other jurisdictions in an effort to arrive
at a made -in -Grind Bend parking solution) that is fair and equity
bit' to all businesses, regardless of their period of operation (i.e,
seasonal versus year -mond).'
"'Ilse Board encourages the business community to attend a
Chamber Metubet (enentI Meeting on downtown development
issues, including parking lout cash in Iieu al a to he 11100)1111(1(1
location and elate tentatively scheduled for mill August, 1)etails
of this Member's Meeting will be announced in the corning
weeks as they art' confirmed. "
Grand Bend
Community Foundation
"Annual (:elebration"
Guest Speakers
A Number of Community Members will speak on the Topic
"Visions for Grand Bond"
Other Highlights:
• PrasonUalon of our annual ralxtrt by• Uur Chew 1 tin i'omt
• Recognition of our attiring Directors
▪ Particpate by sharinfl your Vision on nor Hlacktxinrde ur ;Thal 0 vuur
vision with us on lino at hltp.Nguttlut.cont!WUIL'UbLiWell
Saturday, May 25, 2013
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Community Room Grand Bents Community Heuldl Centre
69 Main St. E. Grand Bend
light refreshments and an opportunity hr (hal wdh members, %hare your mann And
help us build of our wonderful (rmm(umly Please 11)11( us I
Bring a blend - all air welcome
Please send regrets only to David Campbell
Phone S194311190 or •-mall at ibtffIDhsy.nln
Hos.luatulben%k iiiuuuuit)louln4uuu..a