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Council says no to Spaniard’s Bay car lot

By Mark Squibb/February 17, 2022

An application for a car sales lot on Back Cove Road was denied by Spaniard’s Bay council Monday, but not without discussion.

“This application sort of falls under two categories,” said Deputy Mayor Tammy Oliver, who presented to the motion to deny the application. “The office section we would normally have no problem approving. However, the storage of vehicles on the property, for any amount of time, would fall under ‘general industry,’ and unfortunately, this is not a permitted use in a residential zone.”

Councilor Paul Ryan seconded Oliver’s motion.

Councilor Darlene Stamp asked how many vehicles would be stored at one time.

Oliver said the vehicles would not be sold on-site, and the property would act more as a holding station where folks can pick up cars they have purchased.

“It’s not explained exactly how long the cars are going to be on site,” said Oliver.

Councillor Tony Dominix saw another concern with the application.

“If someone is going to come from Corner Brook to pick up their car and they don’t get there until 12 o’clock in the night, you’ll have an awful noise out in the yard with cars starting and banging of doors,” said Dominix. “So, I think that’s the right decision there.”

Mayor Paul Brazil said that, as per the application, there was no way of knowing how many cars would be stored on the property, or for how long.

Stamp, however, felt council should go back to the applicant to request more information before denying the application.

Mayor Brazil and councilors Ryan and Sherry Lundrigan all noted, simultaneously, that the applicant has the right to appeal.

“And when they come back to appeal, they can say how many cars are going to be there on site, if it’s going to be one, two, three, or 10,” said Lundrigan.

Town Manager Tony Ryan, however, said the number of vehicles on the lot, or how long they are there, may not actually matter.

“With all due respect council, the definition of car sales doesn’t specify the number of vehicles on the lot,” said Ryan. “It’s just that the proposed activity is selling vehicles, which makes it that type of industry, which is considered general industry, which is not a permitted use in a residential zone.”

With that, council voted unanimously to deny the permit.

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