Welcome to my penultimate Stittsville News column and Happy New Year! On behalf of my Rideau-Goulbourn team, I would like to wish everyone the best for 2018. It started off incredibly frigid so it can only really go up from here.

Storefront Industries

The City is looking at introducing new zoning provisions to allow limited, small-scale manufacturing and food processing, including micro-distilleries and micro-breweries, in commercial areas. Currently, the Zoning By-law restricts all manufacturing and processing activities to industrial zones that are located in segregated industrial or business parks. These land use classifications do not align to the current trend of small-scale, light manufacturing and food-processing activities that also include a storefront retail or restaurant component in a mixed-use area. These kinds of light "storefront industries" no longer need to be isolated in industrial areas. Under certain circumstances, they are compatible with, and often better suited to more pedestrian friendly main streets.

For example, making beer is technically an industrial activity under the current zoning, regardless of quantity. The growing popularity of microbreweries and brew pubs on urban mainstreets, where the same site brews the beer and serves it to on-site customers as well as wholesaling relatively small quantities to other restaurants and retailers, is poorly accommodated by the current zoning.

The proposed amendment is intended to allow small-scale light manufacturing under certain circumstances in commercial and mixed-use areas. These "storefront industries" will, by definition, include a retail or restaurant component where the products being manufactured are available for sale and/or service to customers on-site, thereby supporting the commercial intent of these areas. However, the proposal also provides for such an operation to sell or distribute its products for resale at other locations.

If you have any questions or comments about this proposal, please contact Tim Moerman at [email protected].

Shea Road Hydro Pole Replacement

Beginning this month, Hydro Ottawa will be undertaking a project that involves replacing aging hydro poles on Shea Road (between Fallowfield Road and Garvin Road). This work is necessary to ensure reliability of the electricity distribution system in the area.

Work on this project is scheduled to commence January 2018 and continue until September 2018. Residents will notice an increased construction presence throughout the duration of the project, including excavation activities and construction vehicles. Traffic control will be implemented when required to ensure that roads and driveways remain accessible and safe to residents and staff. In order to minimize noise concerns, Hydro Ottawa will ensure that work is completed weekdays between 7:00am and 6:00pm.

Be assured that all residents and businesses in the affected area will receive advanced notice of the project and be provided with a point of contact. Customers will also receive advance notification prior to any planned power interruptions affecting their premises. Hydro Ottawa will work diligently to reduce disruptions and their staff and contractors will conduct this work safely and efficiently, ensuring that any inconvenience is minimal.

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If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or contact me by phone at 613-580-2491. For information on Rideau-Goulbourn issues, please visit RideauGoulbourn.ca.