MOOSE JAW — A company that owns property on Manitoba Street West plans to subdivide the land and use it to potentially expand a business on an adjacent property on Third Avenue Northwest.
Boquist Development Inc. approached city hall about subdividing 0.08 hectares (0.19 acres) from the 0.783 hectares (1.94 acres) at 204 Manitoba Street West and consolidating that new piece with the 0.094 hectares (0.23 acres) at Third Avenue Northwest.
The Manitoba Street property contains Premier Collision Centre autobody shop and the Third Avenue property contains Hub Meat Market.
The application initially indicated that the buyer would use the newly acquired land as an asphalt parking lot, but later clarified that it would use the land to accommodate a building addition, a city council report said.
Other than the lot size shrinking, the company did not propose making any changes to the existing vehicle rentals, sales and service centre on the remainder of the lot “at this time,” the document continued.
The affected property is zoned as a light industrial (M1) district, where industrial and manufacturing uses can happen, with some associated commercial and service establishments allowed, the report noted. However, these uses cannot include industries that “may be offensive or objectionable” if they produce noise, smells or pollution.
The district permits the properties’ current uses, while the subdivision will result in two revised parcels that will still comply with the minimum development standards and site regulations, including yard setbacks and site coverage, the document continued.
Boquist Development has not asked for new water, sewer or storm infrastructure connections, while no servicing agreement is required. Furthermore, the company will not have to make alterations to the properties’ access points since each parcel contains a private crossing for ingress and egress.
However, the Water Security Agency has identified the land as being within a flood fringe area and has estimated that the peak water level for the location is 542 metres, the report said. Adding a safety factor of 0.5 metres would result in a required minimum building elevation of 542.5 metres.
“Floodproofing measures will need to be identified on the building drawings for any new buildings or building additions,” the document stated. “This information has been relayed to the applicant and buyer and will be reviewed as part of the development and building permit application process.”
The report added that none of the relevant utility companies raised any concerns about the subdivision application.
New planning manager
Kamran Vosough has been named the new planning and development manager within the community services department.
Vosough will oversee the planning team, which includes the development officers within city hall, and once he has his provincial certification, he will become the official city planner, city manager Maryse Carmichael told media after the meeting.
“So it’s a requirement of the (province’s) Planning and Development Act, where we need to have a certified city planner, so that should happen in September (since that’s when the province distributes the next written exam),” she said.
Vosough will take over from contractor Alan Wallace with Wallace Insights, who acted as the temporary city planner for several months after council hired him last September. His appointment ensured that the City of Moose Jaw maintained its status as an approving authority under the Act.
Carmichael added that Vosough has experience in similarly sized cities in Alberta and elsewhere in Canada.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, April 28.
