CBS council rejects home-based motorcycle repair shop
By Craig Westcott
Complaints from neighbours about past activity appears to have been the influencing factor in CBS council’s decision to reject an application for a home-based business and an extension to an accessory building on Farmland Lane.
It fell to councillor-at-large Rex Hillier to bring forward the motion to reject the application after it was considered by development staff and council’s committee-of-the-whole.
Farmlane Lane is located near the end of Middle Bight Road in Kelligrews, close to Peacekeepers Way.
Hillier noted the extension to the accessory building, one of two accessory buildings on the property, was related to the business application, but that it should be refused “in consideration it is proposed to be used for business operations that would create nuisances and noise inconsistent with a residential neighbourhood.”
A1 Custom and Tuning submitted the application to add a 28’ by 30’-foot extension in mid-September. Given the size of the property, the proposed addition was larger than allowed under the Town’s development regulations, and so the applicant needed council’s discretionary approval.
The application for the home-based business application noted the extension was to be used for storage of parts and that the business itself entailed small repairs to be made in the accessory building with only two client visits per week and one non-resident employee on site. The rear of the property was described as being screened from its neighbours by mature trees and vegetation.
However, a briefing note to council advised the “Town’s Development Regulations state that a home office must have no employees other than a resident of the dwelling.”
No submissions were received when the Town advertised the applications, but the Town had earlier received complaints about business activity at the property. Staff advised council to reject the permits.
“This is an application for a permit for a home-based business associated with parts storage and small repairs tied to another business repairing motorcycles and we’ve had some complaints in the past of noise and disruption in the neighbourhood,” said Hillier.
Put to a vote, council voted unanimously to reject the applications.