By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
RM of Corman Park councillors voted at their July 15 meeting to amend a proposed bylaw that would allow some home-based businesses to store a huge number of recreational vehicles (RVs) on a single property, fearing that it might unintentionally create competition for other storage businesses that have invested in setting up on commercial industrial land.
Six councillors voted in favour of an amendment put forward by Division 4 Councillor David Greenwood to limit the number of RVs that can be stored by Type IV home-based businesses to 50.
The amendment in question is to Bylaw 33-25, which itself amends Zoning Bylaw 9/94 to introduce development standards for Type IV home-based businesses.
A public hearing was held at the July 15 meeting for ratepayers to give input on Bylaw 33-25, though no one spoke up.
Second and third reading on that bylaw were slated to be passed on July 15, but because of Greenwood’s amendment, it will now have to be re-advertised and return to a future council meeting.
As noted in the bylaw, Type IV home-based businesses are for commercial storage use only, and outdoor storage is limited to vehicles, trailers and RVs.
Bylaw 33-25 sets out the landscape requirements for these businesses, the placement requirements for driveways, and also a limit of 100 on the number of business-related visits these type of operations can receive every 24 hours.
Greenwood noted this bylaw had originally came up at a committee meeting in June, and at that time, there was discussion about allowing a maximum of 100 RVs to be stored at these businesses.
However, the bylaw before them that day contained no such restriction, and in fact speaks to allowing RVs to be stored on two and a half acres of space, “which according to Google AI is anywhere from 75 to 140 RVs.”
He added, “It’s basically allowing for a commercial storage business on an acreage that’s a home-based business.”
Greenwood said he had spoken to a ratepayer who was setting up a commercial storage business in one of the RM’s industrial parks and he expressed concern about home-based businesses storing so many RVs.
“He spent a lot of money to get to the point where he’s at and he’s still waiting on permits, and he’s going to have this type of competition.”
Greenwood stressed he was not opposed to the general idea behind the bylaw, adding that he didn’t think people need to have a gravel pad to put their RVs on if they have an acreage.
Division 8 Councillor Wendy Trask agreed with Greenwood, adding, “It doesn’t seem fair that someone who is… going through all of the hoops as a commercial business is then going to be competing with someone who just applies for a discretionary use to plop this down on their 10 to 80 acres.”
Division 1 Councillor John Germs said he felt it was maybe a little extreme for a home-based business to store 100 RVs, but on the other hand, these type of applications were discretionary use and it could be that the neighbours of that business were completely fine with it.
“That would be my comfort level to support the bylaw,” he said.
Division 5 Councillor Arthur Pruim also stated he couldn’t support Greenwood’s amendment as there were enough stopgaps in place to allow council to make the right decision.
Division 2 Councillor John Saleski said the RM wants the businesses that set up in their commercial industrial parks to be successful, and they shouldn’t do anything that would potentially inhibit those businesses.
While Greenwood initially asked to limit the number of RVs stored by Type IV home-based businesses to 20, he revised that number up to 50 after council’s discussion.
“This will allow people to have robust business, have the income they desire, but not impact our commercial entities,” he said.