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City Hall Roundup

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 01/12/2013 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Business park to rise on vacant land in St. B

WINNIPEG plans to work with a local developer to turn vacant industrial land in St. Boniface into a new business park.

Next week, council's property and development committee will consider a plan to let Terracon Development Ltd acquire half an interest in the 95-hecacre city-owned industrial lands in St. Boniface. The city previously considered selling the land for the Olywest hog-plant proposal. Council must first rescind its decision to sell the city property for the hog-plant proposal before proceeding with the new plan.

An administrative report, released Friday, said Terracon approached the city in 2008 to consider a proposal to complete improvements to Mazenod Road, which enabled the development of Terracon's Waters Business Park and provided servicing of the city-owned industrial lands. In 2010, the report said Terracon asked the city to enter into a joint agreement to service and sell the parcel of land to create the Prairie Industrial Park. The proposed agreement calls for Terracon to develop and market the land for future industrial -- and possibly residential -- development. It said in 16 years, full development is expected to generate $34 million in municipal tax revenues.

Terracon has agreed to acquire the interest in the land for $989,850, plus taxes. In the first year, officials expect Terracon would spend $4.8 million to develop one-quarter of the lands. The city would contribute $959,850 toward its share of the joint venture.

Property and development chairman Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said the city decided against selling the land outright because it is so large and officials feared a developer could hold on to it and let it sit undeveloped. He said the new business park is expected to compete with those in rural municipalities, which continue to lure business from the city.

"We're trying to compete with the RM of Springfield," Browaty said. "We're losing light industrial right now into surrounding RMs."

Transit safety plan studied

COUNCIL'S public works committee approved a request for more cash to improve transit safety.

St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes asked that the city's $920-million operating budget include an additional $400,000 to fund a transit safety strategy in 2013. The strategy would be developed by the city's chief administrative officer, Winnipeg Transit and Winnipeg police and be in place by September.

The funding still has to be approved by council's executive policy committee and city council.

Silo site appeal filed

FORT Distributors plans to appeal an order to remove eight metal silos in River Heights.

In September, Fort Distributors installed eight metal silos along a stretch of rail line in a residential section of River Heights. Neighbours immediately complained to the city and the city ordered the storage tanks be removed by mid-December.

Former councillor Gord Steeves, the lawyer representing Fort Distributors, has filed an appeal.

Council's property and development committee will hear the appeal at a meeting next week.

-- Jen Skerritt

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 12, 2013 A12

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