By Norman DeBono,
London’s car war won’t be over any time soon.
Both sides in the automotive spat over where a new car dealership will be located pledged Thursday to take the battle to the Ontario Municipal Board if they lose an upcoming city council vote on the issue.
“If council refuses the application . . . it will be appealed to the OMB,” said Alan Patton, a lawyer with Patton Cormier Associations representing Competition Toyota.
The proposed dealership reflects sound planning, won’t have an adverse impact and wouldn’t cause a new $50-million auto mall in southeast London to close, Patton said.
Competition Toyota has applied to the city to build a dealership on a 1.5-hectare site at Fanshawe Park Rd. and Highbury Ave. to replace its existing location on Oxford St. E.
The proposal was defeated at planning and environment committee this week. City council will vote on the committee recommendation Sept. 30.
The city’s planning department supported the application at the committee meeting, setting off a furor among owners in the auto mall on Dundas St. E. at Crumlin Side Rd.
Those dealers said they wanted to locate on that same north London site about three years ago but were told by city planner John Fleming and then-mayor Joe Fontana the city wouldn’t allow auto development in the north, the committee heard.
The city wants three areas of auto concentration: South on Wharncliffe Rd., west at Oxford St. and Wonderland Rd. and east at Dundas St. E.
Mall owners are frustrated by the Competition Toyota application, fearing if council approves it, other dealers will follow, harming their investment.
“The city needs to understand others are already looking in that area. This will not be a one-off but become an auto alley,” said Brian Semkowski, president of Shrew Sports, which owns the mall and sold lots to dealers.
Auto mall owners will appeal if council approves Competition Toyota’s application, he said.
“They can’t do it for one and no one else. It’s very frustrating for us.”
City planning staff backed the Competition Toyota proposal because it involves only one dealer, not a 22-hectare site, Fleming said at the meeting. Comparing the two projects is “apples to oranges,” he said.
The Dundas auto mall is home to five dealers, including London City Chrysler, MacMaster Chevrolet, Leavens Volkswagen and London City Mazda. The mall has room for two more dealerships.
Competition Toyota owns 1.5 hectares in the mall area.
Resource:
Car dealers threaten to take London fight to Ontario Municipal Board
Car dealers threaten to take London fight to Ontario Municipal Board
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