There appears to be little objection from councillors and residents in Guelph-Eramosa to a new used car dealership proposed for the corner of Whitelaw Road and Wellington Road 124.
Mark Wilson’s Better Used Cars plans to consolidate and relocate its Guelph locations to the 8.7-acre site, which has frontage on Whitelaw Road.
The land is already zoned rural industrial, but the proposal requires amending the township’s zoning bylaw and the county’s official plan to add “used automobile sales, service and storage” to the list of acceptable uses for the property.
The plan includes a 33,000-square-foot building (including a show room, service bays and sales offices), as well as 549 exterior parking spaces, 80% of which are for vehicles for sale and the remainder for staff and customers.
On Oct. 7 planner Bruce Donaldson and a team of technical speakers representing proponent Woodland Properties, outlined the specifics of the business, including wastewater treatment options and what they say will be a minor increase in local traffic as a result of the proposal.
Councillor Corey Woods asked why fuel storage will be permitted on the property. Township planning consultant Bernie Hermsen said fuel storage is already permitted on the property.
Woods then asked if it is possible to put a cap on the number of vehicles kept on the lot, to deter parking vehicles for sale in ditches near the intersection, which he called “a nightmare” as it is.
John Wood, president of Woodland Properties, said he does not want parking along the street of any kind.
After a brief discussion on parking on Oct. 21 council unanimously approved the zoning bylaw amendment for the car dealership (councillor David Wolk was absent).
The approved bylaw includes an amendment capping the exterior parking spaces at 549.
