City of Windsor – Transport Terminal Land Use Study – 2020 November 16

The requirement for a berm along an exterior lot line is excessive if the parcel is in a zoning district that permits a Transport Terminal as a main use. Other industrial uses are not required to provide a berm to mitigate nuisances such as noise and light along exterior lot lines. Where a Transport Terminal is adjacent to, or zoned for, a sensitive land use, the 11.30 m setback and berm is an appropriate mitigation measure to mitigate and is consistent with the policy direction of the Official Plan.

ACTION 5: That the Transport Terminal provisions in B/L 8600 and B/L 85-18 BE AMENDED as follows:

1. That the requirement for a berm along an exterior lot line be deleted;

2. That for a transport storage area the setback from the front lot line shall be a minimum of the required front yard depth of the zoning district, or 6.0 m, whichever is greater.

3. That for a transport storage area, where an exterior lot line is located with 50.0 m of a development reserve district, green district, residential district, institutional district, or a lot containing a dwelling or dwelling unit, the setback from the exterior lot line shall be a minimum of 11.30 m and said setback shall consist of a berm with a minimum width of 11.30 m and a minimum height of 1.80 m, otherwise the setback from the exterior lot line is 3.0 m

4. That for a transport storage area, where an interior lot line is located with 50.0 m of a development reserve district, green district, residential district, institutional district, or a lot containing a dwelling or dwelling unit, the setback from the interior lot line shall be a minimum of 11.30 m and said setback shall consist of a berm with a minimum width of 11.30 m and a minimum height of 1.80 m, otherwise the setback from the interior lot line is 0.90 m.

Required Parking

The current trend is towards reducing or eliminating minimum parking requirements, especially for non-residential uses, and letting a business determine how many parking spaces to provide. However, the elimination of minimum parking requirements affects the provision of accessible parking and bicycle parking, as both are based on the number of parking spaces being provided.

B/L 8600 and B/L 85-18 require the provision of a minimum of five parking spaces for a Transport Terminal. This provision triggers Site Plan Control, which allows the municipality to approve the development, even if no structures or buildings are proposed. In the case of a Transport Terminal used primarily for overnight storage, it also provides a minimal parking area for independent operators utilizing the site. Property owners can provide more parking if there is demand.

NO CHANGE: Staff are not recommending any changes to the parking space requirements.

Truck Parking Space Dimensions

The Zoning By-laws mandate the provision of parking spaces and loading spaces for various uses and mandate the minimum width, length, and, where applicable, height clearance of the parking space and loading space. These provisions ensure there is sufficient area to park and access vehicles and that the loading space can safely accommodate a truck with no impact on-site operations. B/L 8600 & B/L 85-18 do not specify a minimum size for the parking of a Transport Truck or Trailer. Trucks or tractors are defined as a Motor Vehicle in the Zoning By-laws, and the minimum parking dimensions apply to any space used by a Transport Truck. Typically, the dimensions exceed the minimum requirements.

In B/L 8600, a loading space has a minimum width of 3.0 m, a minimum length of 7.50 m, and a minimum height clearance of 3.50 m. B/L 85-18 requires a loading space to be a minimum of 3.5 m wide, 9.0 m long, and a clearance of 4.5 m.