Rezoning of Waterville airport land given second and final reading

A portion of the Waterville municipal airport land has been rezoned to make way for a possible future expansion by the neighbouring Michelin tire plant.

Kings County council gave second and final reading earlier this month to rezone about 60 acres of the airport land from Airport (T1) to the Heavy Industrial (M2). The municipality has a purchase and sale agreement for the land with Michelin.

Coun. Pauline Raven said she would vote in favour of the rezoning but was “unhappy” to do so. She said county council should have dealt with the rezoning before signing a purchase agreement with Michelin. No members of the public spoke at a public hearing on the rezoning.

Deputy Warden Brian Hirtle pointed out that the purchase and sale agreement with Michelin was “contingent” on the rezoning going through.

In September 2014, the municipality agreed to sell Michelin the portion of the airport property closest to the existing tire plant for $1,888,416. The sale will close the day following the closure of the airport, on Oct. 1, 2015. Michelin may carry out an environmental assessment of the land before the sale closure date.

The province approached the municipality in 2011 about Michelin’s need to purchase a portion of the airport land. Michelin needed land to the north of the existing Waterville plant to compete internally for investment funds for a potential expansion.