Discussion:
All exemption requests will be evaluated against the following criteria:
Consistency with the Official Plan and Zoning By-law - The underlying Official Plan designation and zoning district will be considered. Specifically, whether the Transport Terminal is consistent with the Official Plan designation and is permitted as a main use by the zoning district;
Impact on surrounding infrastructure - What the impact may be on surrounding infrastructure, mainly roads, including potential wear and tear, as well as how the impact on the safety and functionality of the surrounding road network;
Proximity to sensitive land uses - The distance to the closest sensitive use will be considered; and,
Likelihood of additional mitigation measures - This criterion considers compatibility with surrounding uses. The Transport Terminal Study may recommend that additional mitigation measures be undertaken to permit a Transport Terminal on the property. Approval of the exemption request may prejudice the Study.
Analysis of Evaluation Criteria
The subject parcel is designated Industrial on Schedule D: Land Use in the City of Windsor Official Plan. A Transport Terminal is consistent with the general policy direction, including permitted uses, locational criteria, evaluation criteria, and design guidelines, of the Industrial land use designation.
Excerpts from Zoning By-law 8600 are attached as Appendix E. The parcel is zoned Manufacturing District 2.1 (MD2.1) which permits a range of industrial uses and permits Industrial Use as a main use. Industrial Use includes any use identified as an “industrial activity. Transport Terminal is identified as an “industrial activity” and is permitte d.
The exemption IS consistent with the direction of the Official Plan. A Transport Terminal IS permitted as a main use in the MD2.1 zoning.
The parcel has access to Division Road, a Class II Arterial Road. Division Road is a designated Truck Route and has access to Highway 401 and to E.C. Row Expressway.
The proposed Transport Terminal will have MINIMAL impact on surrounding infrastructure.
Immediately to the east is a CN rail corridor with an at-grade crossing at Division Road/County Road 42. East of the rail corridor is the Windsor International Airport, located on the north side of Country Road 42. To the southeast, south and southwest are industrial and commercial uses. To the west, along Division Road, is a hotel, restaurant, and a restaurant with drive-through. Along the east side of Riberdy Road are smaller industrial uses. To the north is an industrial use. There are dwellings interspersed on both sides of Riberdy Road between Airport Road and Division Road. The dwellings are considered a sensitive land use.