WEYBURN – Weyburn city council approved an application for the Liquor Spot to locate in the building on First Avenue next door to Calvary Baptist Church, at the council meeting on Monday night.
The location had been in dispute earlier when the applicant originally asked to locate a liquor store and warehouse operation in the building in the fall of 2020, but this application was denied by the Planning Appeals committee of the Saskatchewan Municipal Board.
The committee denied the application on the basis that warehousing or wholesale use was not a permitted or discretionary use in the Highway Commercial zone.
For this application, only a retail outlet is being proposed for the 8,000 square foot space, and the City received three objections. They came from the Calvary Baptist and Silver Heights churches, and from a resident.
Council was told in regard to the concerns raised that “the City does not have any requirements in the zoning bylaw in terms of separation distances between liquor stores and other uses.”
Mayor Marcel Roy said the City made “some errors in judgment” in regard to the first time this application came up, and noted the City is now in full compliance with the zoning bylaw on this matter.
Coun. Dick Michel asked if there would be any tables and chairs set up for alcohol to be served in this outlet, and development officer Janine Fletcher said this application was only for a retail outlet. She added if they wanted the ability to serve alcohol there, they would have to go through the whole process to make that application.
Coun. Laura Morrissette asked the applicant if he was still willing to put up a fence to separate the property from view of the churches, and was told if this was still an issue, he would do so.
In relation to the three objections raised about this proposal, Coun. Jeff Richards said, “We can appreciate the concerns of the three letters that we received. I would encourage you to work with your neighbours to make this work. I think this is a great spot and look forward to hearing about your success there.”
The application was unanimously approved, with a set of conditions for the retail outlet, including having 25 parking stalls, and only being permitted to have a retail outlet with no warehousing or wholesaling to occur, and no use of the back alley or access through the municipal buffer to the back.
