Council defers decision on Cambridge Flag Raiders proposal

Cambridge council postponed a decision Tuesday night on whether to allow a paintball business to reopen at 1500 Kossuth Road.

Council voted to defer a staff report which recommended they not enact a temporary use by-law amendment for Flag Raiders.

In a media release, the city said the deferral "is to allow Flag Raiders an opportunity to complete a pre-consultation, and subsequent Regional Official Plan Amendment, Official Plan amendment and a zoning bylaw amendment applications to determine if the required usage could be permitted."

The land is currently zoned for agricultural and natural open space, which required the city to set up a special meeting in may to consider the temporary zoning bylaw.

The report council received advised them not to approve it, noting concerns about noise, the environment, and misuse of agricultural land.

Before any debate, Flag Raiders owners requested to defer the motion, as they want to do more consultation.

"They are now putting forth an application to see if the property can be rezoned so that it becomes allowable," said Coun. Donna Reid. "I think that this is a good thing and this is the proper way that this should go, so I am very happy to support this deferral."

The city said Flag Raiders also asked council to support their request for a Minister's Zoning Order (MZO) to expedite the approvals process and override the local planning authority.

No details have been released about whether council approved the MZO request.

Several residents near 1500 Kossuth Road, where Flag Raiders operated in the past, have previously voiced their concerns about the business.

"We can constantly hear firearms going off, swearing, yelling, air horns and excessive and disturbing noise," neighbour Erin Panek told CTV News on May 17.

Others voiced their support for the business.

"It was a family-friendly, fantastic environment," said Karen Wright in May. "We never saw arguments or fights."

They also told council it would give a financial boost to other local businesses.

"It not only attracts players from Ontario but the United States and even England," Oakville resident Andre Critchlow told council in May.

Even though the land has been zoned as agricultural, Flag Raiders operated at 1500 Kossuth Road from 2001 to 2008 after receiving two temporary use bylaw amendments. Then they moved to Bingemans in Kitchener. That site has now been sold, so the operators of Flag Raiders want to move back to 1500 Kossuth Road.