PIROLI MAP & GROW Tree Giveaway Program

PICK UP Saturday, April 22nd, 9am-noon, while supplies last Libro Centre, 3295 Meloche Road (drive-thru pick up)

BRING your Driver's License (gov ID) & your completed Tree Request Form asked if the bylaw extension would deter investment.

MUST AGREE to give researchers access to the tree on your property for years to come.

NOTE: One tree per home. First come, first serve. No pre-registration is required.

“Do we want to push investment away until August or possibly longer should another extension be requested in the summer?” said Bezaire. “Let’s avoid delays and red tape.”

Current measures are “control enough” and believes there is no need for an interim control bylaw.

Deputy CAO/director of development services Melissa Osborne believes the interim control bylaw is necessary because while the Official Plan identifies the lands as industrial, the zoning is agricultural for the most part.

“Anyone seeking to do industrial in that particular area would need to have a zoning bylaw amendment and bring it to council,” she said.

The interim control bylaw allows administration to ensure the area is studied “as a whole for highest and best use for that land” respecting that there are agricultural and residential uses in that area. Compatibility with lands is a factor, Osborne added.

The interim control bylaw also studies infrastructure issues to look at the

Council coverage

viability of the site.

Osborne added if a zoning bylaw amendment is needed, applications and consultation would also be needed and the process would take about five months. The interim control bylaw does not stop anyone from starting down that path, except administration would not bring it to council prior to Aug. 31 unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Councillor Linden Crain asked if there would be any business turned away, Osborne said she reached out to Invest Windsor-Essex and she was told by Stephen McKenzie that in his opinion, extending the bylaw until the end of August aligns with the completion date of the secondary plan for the area and does not send a message to potential investors that Amherstburg is not open for business. She added McKenzie believes “it sends a positive message that Amherstburg is conducting the necessary research to identify the highest and best use for developable lands” in the area.

Town council voted at the March 27 meeting to extend the interim control bylaw through Aug. 31.

As Amherstburg town council met Tuesday night this week due to the Easter Monday holiday, it means the meeting was held after this issue of the River Town Times went to press.

Stories from the meeting will be in next week’s issue.