COLIN KERR
Staff Reporter
BARRY’S BAY – The mere 14 minutes it took the Madawaska Valley Town Council (MVT) to approve the site plan of the St. Francis Herb Farm belied the hard work and diligence that was undertaken behind the scenes.
On October 1, the MVT Council met to decide whether or not to approve the plan of the local business.
The eagerness of councillors to facilitate the business’ expansion plan was clear. In the words of Councillor Carl Bromwich, “It is such a great initiative for our township.”
The main considerations with the plan centered around how the business’ new location would effect near-by residents. The business would be moving its headquarters from Combermere to the end of Lane Street in Barry’s Bay, which runs parallel to Highway 60, the second left-hand turn from the beginning of Paugh Lake Road, close to Peter Street on the right.
Councillor Mark Wilmer was in favour of the plan, stating at the meeting that, “it is such a good addition to the township.” However, he wanted to know about two implications for the new location. He wanted to know something of the feel of the business in the residential setting, as he said, what it would look like to the residents of Lane Street. What kind of buffering would there be?
Silas Lorbetski, who is the Manager of Planning and Development for the township said that no final landscape plan has been developed yet but the business said that they will be taking this into consideration. It is a large property, and so it would be easy enough to facilitate such concerns.
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