A financial services operation will be allowed to move in among plumbers and sand-blasters in a Red Deer industrial park.
The owner of Bay 8, 4608 62nd St. in Riverside Light Industrial Park asked city council to approve a site exception that would allow a commercial office to open its doors.
The space has been vacant for three years, said owner Bill Westman, who believes more flexible zoning could make it easier to fill.
However, neighbouring business owner Chuck Grote wrote to city council opposing the request. He feared workers at an incompatible business would be bothered by some of the surrounding industrial uses.
Grote told council that Riverside Light Industrial Park works well because all of the businesses in it — painters, automotive repair, electrical businesses and lumberyards — currently conform to the industrial zoning.
While a few councillors questioned the appropriateness of Westman’s request, the majority agreed with administration and approved the site exception.
Coun. Lawrence Lee supported it because that particular industrial building was already designed to a higher standard, recognizing that some industries would need to also have some office space.
City rules now push companies with primarily office requirements to locate in the greater downtown area — a policy that’s been criticized by some Red Deer businesses as too restrictive and as driving some companies to relocate to Red Deer County.
But city staff are working on a new mixed-use commercial and industrial district, and Riverside Light Industrial Park is a proposed location for this new zoning.
The proposal will come up for council’s consideration early in 2020.
City council previously asked staff to explore future potential land uses for the area, including joint commercial-industrial uses.
H
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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