Three businesses southeast of Turner Valley’s commercial area are now considered a part of the town’s industrial area.
Turner Valley Town council agreed to change the designation of five Kennedy Drive properties from central business to light industrial following a public hearing on April 3. Three have businesses on them and the Woodstock Hotel is now the only property on Kennedy Drive designated as central business.
Mayor Kelly Tuck said the change provides the proper designation for that area.
“It’s about keeping our bylaws and policies up to date,” she said. “That’s been council’s priority.”
Those businesses impacted by the change are small service-oriented businesses that provide services like welding and light manufacturing, said Town planning coordinator Matthew Atkinson.
He said central business areas often consist of retail offices. Light industrial includes light manufacturing and auto repair shops.
Regulations for commercial and light industrial are quite similar, said Atkinson, with some minor differences, such as setbacks from property lines.
When council discussed the change in February, Atkinson said the existing businesses meet the regulations for light industrial and any new buildings or changes on the properties would also have to meet the requirements set for light industrial.
Three other Kennedy Street properties had changed designation during the past decade from central business to light industrial, according to Barry Williamson, chief administrative officer.
Williamson said light industrial areas tend to have a higher noise levels than commercial areas with construction and repair work going on, more equipment in the yards and larger vehicles moving on and off of the properties.
No one attended last week’s public hearing to support or oppose the proposed change, and no letters were submitted.
“I think we had figured it was going to go that way anyway,” said Tuck. “It wasn’t a surprise to me at all.”
