garage.jpg
View towards the existing dwelling and garage from Ladell Heights Crescent facing north. The building for vehicle repairs will be located further at the back of the home. (Photo Town of Huntsville).

Despite opposition, council approves neighbourhood vehicle repair shop

Despite opposition from neighbours, a resident on Ladell Heights Crescent in Port Sydney has been granted planning approval to proceed with a motor vehicle and trailer repair shop as an additional permitted accessory use within a 140m² detached accessory building on his property.

The lot has an area of about 12,711m² with approximately 61m of frontage on Ladell Heights Crescent.

At the June 12 Planning Council meeting, Chad Gareau appeared online before council and explained that he’s looking at building a small accessory building to do some part-time automotive and trailer repair work on his property. “I’ve been in the automotive industry for almost 25 years, and I’m kind of looking to step back a little bit in the next short bit. I have some other stuff as well that I do, so this isn’t really going to be a full-time thing, but I would like to be able to do some work out of there legally.”

Three neighbouring property owners objected to the use, citing noise, negative visual impacts, contamination, increased traffic, lower property values, and creating precedence for similar applications in the future. Other concerns included the propensity for fires in a heavily wooded area.

“They’re residential streets, they’re not highways, they’re not county roads,” said one resident who attended the meeting. He said there is only one road going into a neighborhood of about 50 houses where young families also live, “and I don’t think we can have that kind of traffic coming in and out without having accidents happen,” he said.

Planning staff recommended that the application be approved with the following stipulations in order to address concerns from neighbours:

  • The motor vehicle and trailer repair shop use being clearly secondary to the main residential use of the property and shall not change the residential character of the property;
  • The motor vehicle and trailer repair shop use not being a nuisance with regard to noise, odour, dust, vibration, etc., and not interfering with television or radio reception of others in neighbouring buildings or structures;
  • No more than three (3) vehicles associated with the use being located on the property at any one time;
  • No derelict or un-plated vehicles being stored on the property outside the garage;
  • No motor vehicle or trailer repair or related work may occur outside of the 140m2 accessory building;
  • A 3m vegetative buffer being maintained along all side yards that abut residential development;
  • A minimum 10m setback being maintained between all buildings, structures, and ancillary uses associated with any motor vehicle and trailer repair shop use on the lot and all side lot lines;
  • The use being conducted by a person or persons residing in the dwelling;
  • No employee who does not live in the dwelling may be employed onsite, and
  • There shall be no display to indicate that any part of the property is being used for a use other than residential except for an unlit sign of not more than 0.5m2.

“I appreciate sometimes it’s hard to see a change like this in a neighbourhood that you’ve lived in for a while,” said Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock, adding that in the Town’s Official Plan the use is permitted. She also said she appreciates the parametres for approval suggested by staff.

Councillor Monty Clouthier, who voted against the application, questioned who is going to ensure that the stipulations presented by staff would be policed.

Others, like Huntsville Councillor Dione Schumacher had a slightly different take. She said she was torn listening to the comments from the neighbours but also noted that the activity the applicant is seeking permission for already happens in the community illegally. She said she could appreciate that the applicant wants to be able to do it legally.

Councillor Helena Renwick said the location of the building is secluded, she pointed at the stipulations imposed in exchange for approval by staff, and noted that what’s being proposed is not a full-blown commercial enterprise. She said car repairs in garages happen all the time. Renwick voted to approve the application.

Deputy-Mayor Dan Armour said while he could appreciate the concerns from neighbours, the application meets the requirements of the Huntsville and District official plans as well as the Provincial Policy Statement. Armour said in terms of policing to ensure the stipulations for approval are being met, “the neighbourhood can always call ahead and let us know what’s going on, and there will be multiple visits to ensure that he’s following the rules and if not then we can revoke the rules.”

In the end, the majority of council voted in favour of the application while Councillor Clouthier voting against it.

You can find the planning report HERE.

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4 Comments

  1. Thomas R Spivak says:

    Ryan Wettlaufer, you need to drive through Utterson on old Muskoka road north my friend and see the result of doing what you want on your property.

  2. Ryan Wettlaufer says:

    Couldn’t disagree with those NIMBY’s more! Increased traffic? Inevitable accidents? TV reception being impacted?! What a bunch of hooey. Just made up pretenses to justify these nimby karens trying to stop a property owner from doing something that they simply don’t like and don’t want. They’re allowed not to like it, they’re allowed not to want it, but unless they’re also paying this property owner’s mortgage, then they don’t have the right – not legally or morally – to impose their preferences on him. It’s his own property, and he wants to carry out his own work on it in order to support his own family. Nothing could be more normal, good or right. Town council made the right decision, and these complaining neighbours need to learn to mind their own business.

  3. Thomas R Spivak says:

    Just come to Utterson, most of the village looks like an auto recycling yard.
    I seriously doubt that the stated provisions will last.

  4. Bill Beatty says:

    A slippery slope !