A spokesperson for Panattoni Development Company said public engagement will continue in accordance with the planning process related to its proposal for a large warehouse in St. George.
Chris Serio, Panattoni’s associate development manager, made the comment after Brant Mayor David Bailey called on the company to hold another public meeting explaining the proposal.
Bailey called “disappointing” the format of a public information session held last Thursday at the South Dumfries Community Center in St. George.
He said people were expecting a formal presentation and that residents “deserve better.” Instead of a formal presentation, residents could approach Panattoni representatives directly at tables dedicated to various aspects of the proposal, including traffic, noise, building design and the environment.
“The format of Thursday’s meeting was designed to give concerned residents a one-on-one forum to ask the specific questions directly to the developer and their consultant team, and to engage in meaningful and productive dialogue about their concerns,” Serio said in a email to The Expositor.
Panattoni is proposing a major warehouse project that includes two buildings covering 120,000-square-metres on a 36-hectare property at 282A Highway 5. Plans call for a 63,220-square-metre warehouse to be built first followed by a second building at a later date.
Panattoni has applied to have the property rezoned from agriculture to light industrial to accommodate the proposal. The application was presented to county councilors at a February planning meeting for information only and was referred to planning staff for further review.
Some residents have concerns about the proposed size of the project, increased traffic on Highway 5, and lighting and noise issues.
“Noise and traffic concerns are addressed by the respective noise impact and traffic impact studies that were submitted as part of the application and available to the public for review,” said Serio. “At this point in time, these studies are still under review by the municipality.”
As many as 200 residents attended the meeting. Bailey said that as a result of the meeting format, residents who came there angry, left angrier.
Bailey said the county would like to see Panattoni build in Brant County but said the proposed location is wrong. He said the company should be looking in Cainsville, adding “they could be located in an industrial area near Colborne Street East and Brant County Road 18.”
Serio said the site in St. George is adjacent to an existing industrial park, “and the surrounding lands, including the subject site – are designated for employment uses by the County of Brant’s official plan, which sets targets and limits for growth in the county .”