A resident living south of Mitchell has been approved for a home-based auto repair facility. However, not without a set of conditions.

Daniel Block owns a two-acre parcel of land in a rural residential area along Hildebrandt Drive. He had proposed an auto repair facility on the site, operating out of a 1,200-square-foot detached garage. 

A public hearing was held earlier this month. Tim Proveda, who lives nearby, voiced concerns with this application at the public hearing. His concerns had to do with the potential for this property to take on the look of a junkyard. Proveda also expressed concern over the potential for more theft in the area if there are cars that will be parked outdoors overnight. Proveda questioned whether there could be conditions on the maximum number of vehicles allowed and the hours of operation. And finally, he was concerned with what happens to this home-based business should Block sell his property.

Block told Hanover Council that he has no intentions of moving anytime soon and is not planning to grow the business too large. Block says he does not plan to hire any employees. 

At the public hearing, Councillor Travis Doerksen noted that while Block appears to have good intentions, Council needed to also consider future owners of the property, as the conditional use and variance will stay with the property if approved. Doerksen suggested that Council approve the request, but place conditions on things such as the number of employees and number of vehicles and require the construction of a privacy fence.

In the end, Council voted unanimously in favour of permitting the home-based business, but with conditions. Those conditions include the fact that any exterior storage of materials, vehicles awaiting repair, or equipment associated with the business be stored within a compound surrounded by a privacy fence. Council also set a condition that the maximum number of vehicles associated with the business and parked outdoors within the compound be limited to two. And finally, no outside employment is allowed.