Concerned about the impacts of a gas bar proposed for a Heidelberg site, neighbours filed into the Crosshill council chamber August 19 to provide feedback.
Ahmed Haji, owner of the Forwell Variety Store, is seeking a zone change application to permit a gas station at the location.
“Your bylaw for some reason permits a motor service station or a public garage but not a gas bar. We’re asking tonight that you consider approving a gas bar on the property,” said Sam Head of Dryden, Smith & Head Planning Consultants, representing Haji.
Head addressed some of the concerns raised by residents, including a decrease in property values, school bus safety, reduced parking, and an increase in traffic and noise.
He said the decrease of parking from 16 spots to 12 is not an issue because the nature of the business isn’t long-term: it’s in and out within a few minutes. For Shell to come in and fill the gas tanks it would take about 20 minutes once a week, taking up the space of two of the pumps.
He noted that past issues with the septic system are no longer a concern.
“When Stemmler’s was there in the building they did a lot of meat washing and probably overused the system,” Head said. “Today we have one employee using the septic system. It gets less use than a residential house.”
A noise study has already been done, indicating no issues, he noted.
Head said he doesn’t expect increased traffic to be a real issue, as the gas bar won’t be attracting people from far away, but providing a convenience for local people to fill up on their way by. Residents complained before that they had to travel out of town if they wanted to fill up gas for their lawnmower or snowblower.
Council received two written letters of opposition from the neighbors to the west and to the north of the variety store on Lobsinger Line.
“Right now I’m just a little overwhelmed by everything,” Crystal Stevenson said, who lives to the west of the store. “I’d like to voice my opinion that I’m not in favour of it.”
The closest fuel station is six kilometres away and is twice the size of the proposed gas bar.
Haji plans to open up a pizzeria or coffee shop at the same location in the future too, as he previously ran a pizzeria in Kitchener.
