CAMBRIDGE -- Residents in a Cambridge neighbourhood are voicing their concerns after city council endorsed a Ministry Zoning Order (MZO) of a massive warehouse.
On Tuesday, Cambridge City Council voted unanimously to approve a MZO to build a 1-million-square-foot warehouse on Dickie Settlement Road and Fountain Street South near Hwy 401. That means no further public consultations or appeals are allowed.
"The client needed it expedited, that was one reason," Coun. Donna Reid told CTV News. "The place where it's going was already zoned properly for a warehouse to be placed there. So there didn't seem to be any reason to say no."
According to the developer, Broccolini, the warehouse will employ up to 1,400 people, pump $150 million in investments into Cambridge and have about 100 transport trucks pass through every day. Details on what the warehouse will be used for have not been disclosed, but Broccolini has built dozens of Amazon fulfillment centres.
Residents who live nearby are upset council endorsed a MZO, saying public consultations should have been held before council's approval. Public consultations were held in 2015 when the zoning to industrial was instituted, but nothing since.
"I feel that I am betrayed," said Ehab Eskander, who lives in the area.
Some residents are worried the warehouse will bring increased levels of noise, pollution, and traffic.
"Where are these 100 trucks supposed to go?," resident Adam Oiska said. "How are we supposed to do it on this road here?"
The city said the developer will spend $10 million on road improvements.
"Because [the site] is so close to the 401, we wouldn't have trucks going through the city," Reid said.
Construction is expected to be completed by August 2021.
