Written By David Gomez
STRATHROY — A proposal to rezone 700 Adair Blvd. drew significant public attention at council on August 4, even after the applicant removed data centres from the uses being sought for the property.
The roughly 20-hectare site, located at Adair Boulevard and Wright Street in the Molnar Industrial Park, is currently zoned Future Development but designated Urban Employment in the municipality’s Official Plan. The applicant, CyberTek Realty Inc., is seeking a site-specific General Industrial (M2) zoning that would permit existing M2 uses along with indoor agriculture, private education and workshop uses.
A data centre had originally been included in the application but was withdrawn before the public meeting.
A data centre is a facility that houses computer servers and other digital infrastructure used to store, process and distribute large amounts of data. Such facilities can range considerably in size and typically require substantial electrical capacity, along with cooling systems to prevent equipment from overheating. Large data centres may use different cooling technologies, with their potential demands on electricity and water among the issues raised during the council discussion.
Planning manager Tim Williams told council the northern portion of the property also contains natural heritage features that remain under review. Until that work is completed, he said the exact boundary between industrial lands and an Environmental Protection zone has not been established.
Speaking on behalf of CyberTek Realty, Asma Ayub said the company’s objective is to position the lands to attract businesses that could “strengthen the tax base, create jobs, and contribute to the long-term economic future of Strathroy-Caradoc.”
Despite the removal of the data centre use, several residents raised concerns about what could eventually be permitted on the property. One resident told council that more than 2,000 people had signed a petition and questioned why a permanent zoning change was necessary without a specific development proposal.
“Residents are still asking what this zoning change could allow in the future and whether this is the right location for general industrial zoning,” the same resident said.
Williams clarified that Strathroy-Caradoc’s existing zoning bylaw does not currently permit data centres under any zone. Any future proposal for one would require council approval.
Council members differed; however, over whether additional municipal safeguards should be explored.
Councillor Steve Pelkman suggested the municipality consider defining data centres in its zoning bylaw, while noting that the wording would need to distinguish large facilities from businesses that simply operate substantial computer systems. He later said council owed it to residents to consider a safeguard because “the community has spoken very loudly.”
Deputy Mayor Mike McGuire subsequently moved that staff examine the pros and cons of establishing a definition. He emphasized that the request was only intended to gather information, not commit council to changing the bylaw.
Councillors Brian Derbyshire and Sandi Hipple opposed pursuing the report, arguing existing protections were sufficient.
The motion was ultimately defeated. Council received the 700 Adair rezoning report for information, with a final decision on the application to come at a future meeting.
