Town council extends interim control bylaw, business owner expresses concerns

By Ron Giofu

A request to extend the interim control bylaw has been objected to by a business owner.

Joel Bezaire, owner of Townline Parking along North Townline Road, said he supports actions to develop industrial lands in the Howard Industrial land area, stating the town is fortunate to have such industrial lands in the Official Plan. He said checking MLS listings show there are no 50-plus acre industrial properties listed from here to Toronto.

“It’s clear how important these collection of properties are to the future of Amherstburg and Windsor-Essex

County,” he said.

The proposal to extend the interim control bylaw would prohibit development in the area until the secondary plan is completed, he told council. He said he interprets that as “Amherstburg is closed for business.”

“The mechanisms to control development are in place regardless of the interim control bylaw in my opinion,” said Bezaire. “The property in the Howard industrial park has been designated industrial in the Official Plan for the past 20 years.”

Bezaire questioned the necessity of the interim control bylaw and asked what message the extension sends to the world outside of Amherstburg. He