YORKTON - A business on York Road is hoping to expand the business it does, but will require a discretionary use permit to expand, was again put on hold by Yorkton Council Monday.
A Development Permit application for a Salvage Yard use at 85 York Road West was requested, but while the Zoning Bylaw does not include salvage yard as a defined land use, the definition of auto wrecking/junk yard most closely resembles the proposed use, explained Carleen Koroluk Land Use Planner with the city at the regular meeting of Yorkton Council in January.
The property is zoned MI-1 Light Industrial and is located on York Road West, along one of the main entrances to the City.
The applicant purchased the property in November 2021, and was issued a temporary Development Permit for a light industrial use in January 2022, specifically for the purchasing and processing of metals such as copper wire. At the time it was indicated that ferrous metal, like vehicles, would not be stored on site, explained Koroluk.
“Much has changed from the applicant’s initial proposed use and the business has subsequently grown from five employees to 17 employees working both on and off the site,” she said in January.
The applicant did not initially apply to the City to undertake the revised development, and therefore was no longer in compliance with the issued Development Permit. Planning Services was forced to initiate enforcement, resulting in the subject application, detailed Koroluk.
As a result, Council approved Administration be authorized to proceed with Public Notification for Discretionary Use application which proposes an Auto Wrecking/Junk Yard use as defined in City of Yorkton Zoning Bylaw at 85 York Road West, which was passed by Council.
The city received one letter opposed to the application from Kelvin and Pat Borys.
“Frankly we don't understand why this application is even being considered. Over the years City Council has approved Bylaws that protect homeowners from living next to someone who allows their property to become a junk yard. Now we're being asked to accept living adjacent to an industrial sized salvage yard. Of all the cities we have travelled to over the years we've never come across a city that has an Auto Salvage/Junk Yard next to a residential area. Why would anyone think this is a good idea?” stated the letter circulated Monday.
“. . . In closing we have one question we would like council members to ask themselves when voting on this issue - Would I want to live across the street from an auto wrecking/junk yard?”
In addition, the application was referred to the Planning and Infrastructure Commission for review at the January 18, 2023 Commission meeting, however quorum was not able to be met and, as such, the meeting could not proceed, explained Koroluk at the most recent meeting of Council Monday.
As a result of not having a quorum it was proposed to present the application at the next PIC meeting scheduled for February 1, 2023. The Commission’s recommendation would be brought back to a future regular Council meeting.
In the end the request was deferred until feedback from the Planning and Infrastructure Commission can be provided.
