Bradford council was able to get a glimpse at the layout and design of a proposed new development in town.
Based on a report from town planner Madeline Luker at their Jan. 21 meeting, council approved removing the hold symbol for development of an Apple Self Storage facility at 490 Holland St. W., which means the developers can now move ahead with building permits.
That comes at the request of Humphries Planning Group, on behalf the owner, Bradford Self-Storage Equities, now that a site plan agreement is ready for the three-storey 11,724-square-metre (126,199-square-foot) storage facility proposed for the property between Home Depot and Zehrs.
“I’m absolutely in support,” Mayor James Leduc said of the project, adding he thinks having the facility at the back of the commercial lot is the “perfect location.”
That was echoed by Ward 7 Coun. Peter Dykie, who expects the development will be a “win-win” by offering storage solutions for residents while also generating commercial tax revenue from what is currently a vacant lot.
Ward 6 Coun. Nickolas Harper praised the developers for meeting the commitment they previously made to get shovels in the ground as quickly as they can, and he said council should be ready to respond just as quickly.
Not everyone was happy with the proposal though, and Ward 4 Coun. Joseph Giordano reiterated his concerns that a storage facility isn’t the right type of development for a “prime retail location.”
“I’m completely against this project,” he said.
Included in the report were diagrams and renderings illustrating the proposed layout and appearance of the facility.
On the first storey, the exterior is set to be clad in white with large windows and the main entrance facing north, while the upper storeys are set to have a windowless black facade. Minimal landscaping is planned for the west side and in addition to the existing parking lot, the facility is set to have 14 parking spaces, including two accessible spaces.
Based on a deputation from Randy Shiff and Tyler Pearson, who represented Bradford Self-Storage Equities, council voted to defer almost $3.12 million in development charges (DCs) on Nov. 19, after previously denying the deferral during the Nov. 5 meeting.
A similar request for the property was previously denied by council in June 2023.
Council approved the site plan and zoning bylaw amendment allowing the storage facility on April 5, 2022, according to town chief administrative officer Geoff McKnight.
In response to questions from council on Jan. 21, Alan Wiebe, manager of community planning, explained several of the project’s “moving parts” over the last few years included severing the lot from the previous owner, dealing with easements for water lines and finalizing the detailed design.