Two business owners came before council committee this week asking for exemptions to the interim control bylaw, noting time was of the essence to get their businesses off the ground.
Katherine Gregory, owner of 243 Ste. Marie St. and Victoria Galletta, owner of Pure Movement which will be moving into 245 Raglan St., both gave deputations during Tuesday’s (April 11) development and operations services standing committee meeting asking for small adjustments to their properties’ water allocation to allow for renovations to their spaces.
The town continues to operate under an interim control bylaw preventing building permits from being issued for any building without an exemption from council. The bylaw was passed by council in April 2021 in response to a dwindling water supply estimated to run out before the new water treatment plant expansion is complete.
The challenge for both business owners is the next intake for interim control bylaw exemption requests doesn’t close until May 12, which is too late for both to have their renovations complete in time for the summer season.
“As I’ve been launching this business and trying to get a building permit to do so, I’m burning through cash and I’m at a bit of a crisis moment,” Gregory told councillors. “The goal is to open before Pride weekend. This is a small business with very little change in the business use.”
Gregory purchased her property at 243 Ste. Marie St. this past year, with a dream of opening a Champagne Café and home decor store at the heritage property. The cafe will have 25 seats, with a private room with 10 to 12 seats for events such as small weddings, baby showers and local community club meetings.
The current zoning for the property is commercial which allows for the use, however the house has acted as an office space for the past seven years and requires renovations to fulfil Gregory’s vision for the retail/café space.
Galletta also spoke in a deputation on Tuesday, asking for an exemption to the interim control bylaw. Galletta is the owner of Pure Movement, a kinesiology-based business with a clinical focus in aquatic therapy. The business had previously been operated out of Centennial Pool where Galletta also taught aqua-fit classes, however Galletta sought her own brick-and-mortar space to run her programs starting in 2021.
“The demand for my services is now such that it requires my own space,” said Galletta.
During staff comments to councillors on both deputations, Summer Valentine, the town’s director of planning, building and economic development noted the process for small-scale development to apply for an exemption had changed in January.
Moving forward, the town has now allocated a bucket of 50 single dwelling unit’s worth of water (called SDUs) for such small use changes, under which she noted both projects fall.
Currently, the town allocates 430 SDUs annually to new development through the exemption process while the interim control bylaw is in place.
Valentine noted that town staff are supportive of the two requests.
“We would only caution committee that providing exemptions outside of the normal process may be warranted... but may also provide an advantage to a business that isn’t provided to everybody,” said Valentine. “In this case, interestingly, these two requests are the only ones we currently have on file for the May intake, so the concerns of a level playing field are minimized in this case.”
The committee voted unanimously in favour of recommending the two interim control bylaw exemptions. Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer declared a conflict and did not vote on the 245 Raglan St. request. The decision will need to be ratified at a regular council meeting later this month before going into effect.
UPDATE: At their April 17 regular meeting of council, councillors voted unanimously in favour of approving water allocation for 243 Ste. Marie and 245 Raglan St. Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer declared a conflict on the 245 Raglan St. application and did not participate in that vote.
