Riley’s Cidery is now pursuing a property rezoning related solely to the cidery side of the business.
Earlier this year the west side cidery filed a rezoning application requesting the permanent operation of a cidery on the property, along with a new ask for permission to operate a 10-bedroom guest house. While the cidery has run under temporary use permits (TUP) for the past 5.5 years, the guest house would have been a new component of the Laura Road business.
That application was submitted by prospective buyers of the property, which has been up for sale for a few years.
But in a change of direction, a late May rezoning application was submitted by current owners Rob Purdy and Christine Hardie. Purdy spoke to the modifications at the May 25 meeting.
“Based on the feedback we’ve received, we’ve decided to significantly narrow the rezoning application. We are now simply asking for permission to continue operating the cidery substantially as it exists today, with no material expansion to the operation which has been in place for the last 5.5 years,” said Purdy.
Along with feedback from nearby neighbours, who were largely opposed to the guest house component, the decision to pursue just a cidery rezoning seemed to reflect comments made by mayor Andrew Leonard in April. “The guest house goes one step further and is an unproven use… I’m concerned that if this larger rezoning fails because of that added use (guest house), then everything goes away,” said Leonard at the time.
The cidery owner added he was committed to preserving the orchards on the property as well, which are home to more than more than 1,000 different varieties of apple across two of the property’s five acres.
“We understand why people care deeply about preserving them. We do too,” said Purdy of the apple trees. “We believe the cidery is one of the strongest reasons for the orchard to remain viable over the long term.”
Councillors were pleased with the decision to focus on cidery use for now. “I’m heartened by the progress and having this revised application,” said Coun. Sue Ellen Fast, saying it serves both the community and ability to protect the orchards. She added Riley’s Cidery hasn’t had any bylaw complaints during its 5.5 years of operation.
Council unanimously voted to prepare a Land Use Amendment bylaw supporting the cidery rezoning proposal to bring to a future first reading (minus Coun. John Saunders who was absent).
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