The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, October 7, 2016 | 14 Celebrating 20 Years Trafalgar Ridge Montessori School Royal pain for pet groomer by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Chosen #1 Montessori School! DIAMOND Discover our Montessori Programs Preschool to Grade 3 · Enriched Individualized Curriculum · Enhanced French Language Instruction · Comprehensive Music & Phys. Ed. Programs Royal Pet Grooming is having anything but the royal treatment grappling with the Town of Oakville over zoning issues. The owner of the long-time Oakville pet grooming business, which has operated at the same location at 1380 Speers Rd. for nearly two decades, will have to wait to learn the business' fate following the recent discovery it had been operating in contravention to the area's zoning. Royal Pet Grooming has been at the Speers Road address since 1997. On June 2, 2016 a prospective purchaser of the business filed an application with the Town. The application shocked Town staff as a pet grooming business is not zoned for the property, under either existing zoning or that which was in place when the business established in 1997. No answers over decades of operation It is unclear how the pet grooming operation was permitted in the first place, and, between 1997 and 2016, a number of applications for mobile sign permits were also filed by the business owner and issued by the Town. Town staff noted when reviewing mobile sign permits, they do not check to see whether the business seeking the permit is in compliance with its zoning. The business also experienced a fire, which caused around $75,000 worth of damage in 2006. The Oakville Fire Department responded to that incident and the Oakville Beaver published an article about it. Oakville council tackled the grooming business' dilemma at Monday's Planning and Development Council meeting and examined options that would legalize the business use for the location. The first option would see the owner apply for a site-specific Official Plan amendment and Zoning Bylaw amendment from the Town. This process would cost the owner approximately $17,265. A second option would see Town staff undertake the same process with the cost for staff time being borne by the Town. The third option requires the owner to await the finalization of a Speers Road Corridor Study so council can decide, based on the results, what the best coarse of action would be to bring the business into the position of being a legal use at the site. How many others exist? Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said he is aware of at least one other business in the area that is in a similar situation. A detailed study may find others and change the dimensions of the discussion. During council's discussions, Burton called for council to vote for option two. see Majority on p.16 2379 TRAFALGAR ROAD, UNIT 6 OAKVILLE · 905.257.5955 www.trms.ca admin@trms.ca 50 % OFF CRYSTAL SHEER, ROLLER SHADES, SCREEN WEAVE, ROMAN SHADES, PANEL TRACK Offer Extended to June 30, 2016 MANY TEXTURES/COLOURS AVAILABLE Shades `N' Shutters 276 Kerr Street, Oakville, ON L6K 3B3 905-257-2692