Convent project zoning change moves forward

At their December 16 meeting, Champlain Township councillors approved in principle a zoning amendment application from Pottery Lane Imports which would change the zoning of the former convent property from Institutional (I) to Commercial Core - Exception (CC-X).
Architect J. Denis Séguin, representing Pottery Lane imports,  summed up the plans for the convent, saying that it was a case of adapting the reuse of the site and that there was “lots of green space and lots of parking,” referring to the property’s coming conversion into a hotel/spa getaway. The planner said that 32 parking spaces would be acceptable and recommended a site plan be in place to define the commercial uses of the property.
Planner Sylvain Boudreault, who reviewed the request for a zoning amendment, suggested recommending that the number of uses within the new commercial zone be limited. 
Champlain Township Mayor Gary Barton supported that view.
“This is an excellent project; would like to see it happen. We are concerned that we agree to wide open commercial, you make it work and you could sell it and people could put anything in there,” Barton said.
Pottery Lane Imports owner Josée Tom said that she was looking at mid to long-term uses. “I’m assuming that I can go ahead with some of the uses,” Tom said.