A home acting as a warehouse for Hill Boles Automotive will be torn down and replaced with a half-million-dollar warehouse, Welland city council heard Tuesday.
The new facility will be set back farther from nearby residents than the existing home and closer to the main building, said Joe Tomaino.
Tomaino, representing the company, was before council to talk about the plan, which requires both official plan and zoning bylaw amendments.
The changes will see the home redesignated from low-density residential to community commercial corridor with an exemption to allow warehousing use only.
Tomaino said the existing home acts as storage for the automotive company that fronts Thorold Road east of Niagara Street, and employee parking.
During a virtual public open house, concerns were raised over the location of loading doors, fencing and screening from the warehouse, what would be in a buffer area and drainage and stormwater on the site.
“We feel we can meet the residents’ concerns. It will definitely be more pleasing to the adjacent (home) owner and residents on Patricia,” Tomaino said.
Ward 4 Coun. Tony DiMarco asked if a loading dock on the west side of the building would remain.
He questioned how early morning deliveries — at 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. — would be handled.
Tomaino said those early morning deliveries come to the main building on Thorold Road and daytime deliveries would come to the new warehouse.
Ward 3 Coun. John Chiocchio asked about the investment into the new warehouse.
“That size building, you’re looking at least a half-million-dollar investment,” said Tomaino, adding Hill Boles is a busy company.
Council received the city staff planning report on the change as information, and a statutory public meeting will be held at a future date to receive public input.
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