August 7, 2018 - Jake Romphf, The Sarnia JournalSarnia has cleared the way for a developer to build a gas bar, restaurant and convenience store at the northwest corner of Modeland Road and Berger Road.The rezoning application, approved last month by city council, also allows for a carwash, dog wash and restaurant drive-through on the 1.5-acre property.The new commercial plaza will have two traffic access points � from southbound Modeland only because of an existing median; and Berger Road, through an easement across the Suncor Nature Way trail.Despite green-lighting the proposal, councillors worried about its impact on the environment and future housing.The low-lying former farmland is in a drinking water Intake Protection Zone and is vulnerable to flooding. All new buildings there must be raised to a standard elevation.Because the gas station�s fuel tanks will be buried, several councillors wondered what would happen if they leak or spill.�My problem is this gas station is on the floodplain,� said Coun. Anne Marie Gillis.Planning director Alan Shaw said staff reviewed a risk management plan prepared by D.C. McCloskey Engineering and found it sufficient.�It seems that a lot of the protections that weren�t in place before are going to be in place now,� said Coun. Mike Kelch, referring to a 2008 application for the site.Kelch said because the plaza sits directly on the trail its owners should consider providing publicly accessible washrooms for cyclists and walkers.�You�re going to build a facility, I want it to be trail-friendly,� he said.Gillis voted against the project, saying increased noise from the carwash, the traffic and drive-through will be �a real game-changer� for residents who live in the area.�I would like to see commercial development embracing the environment more than what you�ve done here,� she said.Councillors Brian White and Bev MacDougall also voted no, saying the project will hurt the livability of a neighbourhood that is still under development.Council was told a noise barrier would be used to reduce its impact on neighbours.
