The Toyota dealership in Huntsville is expanding.
Michelle Festing of Festing Toyota and planning consultant John Gallagher spoke to Huntsville’s planning committee at their March 16 meeting about the dealership’s plans.
The dealership currently owns 69, 77 and 81 Centre Street North. The applicant is proposing to construct a 1,004 square metre addition to their existing 741 square metre vehicle dealership building located at 69 Centre Street North. They also plan to reconfigure their vehicle sales, parking and display areas on their abutting lands to the north.
The dealership, which has existed in that location since 1988, is grandfathered as an existing non-conforming use, explained Huntsville manager of planning Richard Clark.
The applicants were before committee asking to rezone the lands in order to recognize and facilitate the dealership’s expansion. Clark said under Huntsville’s Official Plan, motor vehicle dealerships are generally intended to be concentrated in the Eagle Ridge mixed-use corridor, “nevertheless expansion of the dealership can be deemed to conform with our Official Plan provided that the expansion is to prevent undue hardship and that it will not aggravate any existing concerns resulting from the non-conforming use; it will not result in any incompatibility or be detrimental to abutting uses or interfere with desirable development of those adjacent lands,” he told committee. “The expansion must also be reasonable in proportion to the existing use and the land on which it is located.”
Planning staff suggested a vegetative buffer and privacy fencing be put in place between abutting lands for visual screening purposes and, among other things, suggested a small landscape feature be put in place at 81 Centre Street North, which will be opened up with the removal of the building on the lot. Adding a landscaping feature would also help enhance the intersection of West Road and Centre Street North – a feature which Councillor Dan Armour suggested could also include a memorial bench.
The building on 77 Centre Street North would also be removed to accommodate expanded parking.
Clark said the application was circulated to abutting property owners and stakeholders and no comments were received. The District indicated it had no objections provided that a public car wash not be allowed on the property.
Gallagher told committee his client had looked at other properties but nothing materialized.
“As you may or may not be aware, Toyota has had a presence in Huntsville for many years. It’s the only [Toyota] dealership between Orillia and North Bay. In 1988 they moved from Hwy. 60 over to this location and built a new building and have been operating there ever since,” said Gallagher, adding that a lighting, landscaping and stormwater management plan will form part of the site plan application.
As per the Town’s sidewalk master plan, Gallagher said his applicant would be willing to work with the Town in order to put something in place between Centre Street North and Winona Drive.
Gallagher quipped about the Huntsville portion of the project’s development charge cost, and what could be done with that money in terms of sidewalk and pedestrian connectivity enhancements, something planning staff and committee members have been asking for as part of commercial planning approvals. But most importantly, said Gallagher, “is that this business will keep its foot firmly in Huntsville and provide the level of service and employment opportunity that they have throughout the years.”
Gallagher said his applicant is excited to get the project moving. “I know the Festings have been getting a lot of pressure from head office to get this project up and running and they’ve been adamant that they’ve been trying to keep this location in Huntsville because of their history here,” he added.
Michelle Festing told committee that the dealership has been in Huntsville since 1980. She said she and her brother took it over when their father died. She also said the new plan for the dealership will enhance the look of the area.
“Our intention is to get this done as quickly as possible so that we can move forward for Toyota’s sake and ours because we are actually out of space here and we need to hire more employees which at this point we have nowhere to put them,” she explained.
Huntsville Mayor Karin Terziano and Councillor Armour said they were glad the dealership would be staying in Huntsville. Terziano also said she was pleased the building would remain a single-storey. Armour thanked the applicants and said the plan would clean up that part of Town. “Well done,” he added.
Committee unanimously approved the zoning amendment.
You can find staff’s planning report to commettee here (pdf).
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Congratulations on the expansion of this business. I really hope there has been thoughtful decisions made in the plans for alternative outdoor lighting and conformity to Huntsville’s Outdoor Lighting Bylaw. Car dealerships have legitimate security concerns but they need to be addressed with innovative solutions. Also, please consider how the delivery of new cars to the lot will work. Parking and unloading can be a disruptive and potentially dangerous process to others on the roadway.
Is the blue house on the corner of this proposed development not a protected building? And why does one non conforming business be granted an exception while others are denied? This is prime realistate for housing and businesses should be encouraged to other areas certainly not here. The Town doesn’t seem to understand planning at all. This is a perfect bus route and residential area. Not for a car lot.
It is always nice to see a successful business stay in town and with the expansion will greatly improve the looks of that corner. congratulations Scott and Michelle hope you can get this going a soon as possible and have many more successful years ahead.