Plans for a new commercial development just east of Home Depot in Owen Sound are pushing ahead, now that a residents objection has been dismissed.
Christy Hempel wanted a full OMB hearing on the 139 thousand square foot shopping development that is planned on a 20 acre property on 16th Street East.
She claims a market impact study is flawed because it uses optimistic population forecasts for the area, and also includes all of Grey and Bruce counties as the retail market area for Owen Sound.
Hempel says there is no evidence someone living in the Blue Mountains area, or around Shelburne, will travel to Owen Sound to shop.
Owen Sound Council approved a zoning bylaw amendment last summer and hired a consultant to review the developer’s market impact study.
That review supported the amendment and proposed development.
The OMB Chair, Susan Schiller, held a 3 hour pre-hearing at city hall where she rejected Hempel’s concerns.
Schiller told her she was no expert and she didn’t offer any expert opinion to support her position.
Hempel says there is nothing left for her to do, but she hopes members of council will take a hard look at market impact studies and not just accept any future ones as written.