The City Clerk advised that notice of the meeting was given by prepaid first class mail on the 5th day of March, 2021 to all owners of property within 120 metres of the subject property and by the posting of a placard on the subject property.
Peter Carello explained the purpose of the rezoning application.
Councillor Brousseau asked for public presentations in support of or objecting to the rezoning application.
Presentations:
Tracy MacPhee - Senior Director of Passenger Services Ontario Northland:
- North Bay Station first point of entry for many residents, passengers and customers first impression - transportation hub.
- In the past three years ONTC have transferred over 130,000 passengers in and out of North Bay - does not include the transfer passengers.
- Ontario Northland operates a bus and train station located at the end of Station Road - only entrance/exit.
- This development will create a substantial negative impact.
- Concerned about the safety of passengers and many pedestrians that use the sidewalk on the east side of Station Road.
- The road maybe 7 metres wide but in the winter the snowbanks decrease the width.
- The MTO has requested a Traffic Review Hwy 11/17 Intersection - ONTC would like to receive and provide comments on the Traffic Study.
- Concerned that new zoning will permit other industrial uses within that area. Lands to the east of Station Road have already been cleared.
- Commercial trucks from Patton Street will create only one lane of traffic which will impede the buses.
- An updated impact study should be considered prior to the passing.
- Want to ensure that there will not be any delay to passengers.
- It is critical to ensure that new uses along Station Road do not compromise land use policies.
- The City needs to collaborate with the ONTC re: transportation plans.
5:58 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. recess due to lack of quorum.
Corrina Moore, President and CEO of Ontario Northland:
- Thanked Council for their support of passenger rail.
- ONTC understands that the property already has the zoning required.
- Want to ensure that passengers are safe getting in and out of the station
- Copy of the Traffic Study need to be reviewed by ONTC.
Rick Miller - Agent for the Applicant
- The number company operates as Martin Roy Transport.
- They service all of Northern Quebec and Northern Ontario.
- Have been expanding over a number of years having been look for a transport terminal site in North Bay.
- The property is zoned properly for such a transportation terminal.
- The Applicant had been encouraged by the City's Economic Development Department to do the rezoning to make them eligible for the funding programs for industrial development as the current zoning of C6 does not qualify. That is the only purpose of the rezoning application.
- MTO did not participate in the DART Committee process.
- The City did not request a traffic study as there was an extremely comprehensive traffic study done for the construction at Seymour Street/Hwy 11 intersection which covers all of this property.
- MTO has requested the Traffic Study and it has been completed and submitted to MTO for comments. The Traffic Consultant has still not received MTO's comments.
- The use that is being proposed on this site is far less than what the maximum build out for this site could be.
- Not overloading what is there and what is designed for the new intersection.
- Station Road is Municipal public road beyond minimum industrial standards.
- This is a very large site and the applicants have laid it out in a manner so that trucks will not abut the residential property.
- The applicants are a new industrial company to the City who want to be here and will be moving staff here and helping industrial growth.
- The applicants did their due diligence prior to purchasing the property.
- This property was zoned M2 rezoned to C6 the proposal was to build a hotel on that property which never proceeded.
- Very suitable location in an industrial area and will provide good access to the highway.
- Lands cleared to east of the Station Road are owned by the Ontario Government - MTO. This is the Route 6 location and the clearing was done by MTO it is not for more industrial growth.
Direction: Committee Report be brought forward to Council on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
Special Committee Meeting of Council adjourned at 6:31 p.m.