City rejects low bid from firm accused of zoning breach

Mount Hope paving company had landed contracts before while facing bylaw notices

The city is rejecting a contract bid of nearly $500,000 from a Mount Hope concrete and paving business that bylaw officials have accused of not following zoning rules.

The move comes after Ontario Concrete Paving landed more than $2 million in municipal jobs over the past two years despite the fact bylaw officials had issued the property owners with a zoning infraction notice.

Late last week, company representatives weren’t able to provide procurement officials with a zoning verification certificate to show they were in compliance, the city said Monday.

“Therefore, we are moving ahead with the rejection of their bid for an outstanding contract,” spokesperson Ann Lamanes said.

The $472,970 bid was for concrete curb and sidewalk repairs in Wards 6, 7 and 8, as well as pedestrian mobility upgrades across the city.

The tender was posted May 20 and closed June 6. Ontario Concrete Paving provided the lowest figure among five bids while Coco Paving Inc. offered the highest at $899,681.50.

Representatives of Ontario Concrete Paving couldn’t be reached for comment Monday.

The city is cracking down on businesses in rural Hamilton allegedly operating on property that’s zoned for agricultural use and not paying higher commercial taxes.

Ward 11 Coun. Brenda Johnson has called the practice unfair for businesses that follow the rules and a headache for neighbours who have to put up with big trucks, heavy equipment, dust and noise.

That the city would award contracts to such businesses is especially galling, Johnson has said, attributing the problem to a lack of communication between departments.

In late June, The Spectator reported Ontario Concrete Paving Ltd. had secured several bids while listing its address at 8063 White Church Rd., a property that has agricultural zoning.

In December 2015, bylaw officials issued the owners a zoning violation notice, alleging the parcel was being used as a contractor’s depot for the business, which isn’t a permitted use.

The letter asked that all construction vehicles, dump trucks and other equipment be removed by February. Two weeks ago, officials sent the company letters demanding zoning verification certificates by July 7.

During a visit to the White Church Road property, a man who identified his father as the company owner said the address was a residence, not a place of business. He wouldn’t say where the business operated and declined to comment further.