The Houston Community Services Association won’t be able to open a thrift store in the United Church building on Butler it wants to rent following a unanimous vote by council April 16.
The association needed the current institutional and community use zoning applying to the property amended to allow a retail operation specific to the location. But council sided with neighbours who objected to the presence of a thrift store in a residential area.
The majority of those opposed used a form letter format in submissions at a public hearing to say a thrift store did not fit into the fabric of the neighbourhood.
Some of those opposed also spoke at the public hearing as did Houston Community Services Association employees.
Those opposed felt the presence of a thrift store equated with drawing in undesirable people into the neighbourhood.
“A retail store of this caliber will drastically change the dynamics of our neighbourhood,” the written submissions indicated. “There are families with young children and impressionable teens that live in and around the proposed site and we fear for their safety.”
One speaker wondered why the community needed a second thrift store when the Salvation Army already operated one while others felt there was space elsewhere in the community where a thrift store could more appropriately be opened.
Neighbours were also worried their property values would decline.
Houston Community Services Association family support coordinator Ashley Ridgway told the public hearing a thrift store would be framed around programming for young people to provide specific skills and structure to counter an increase in substance abuse.
“Our community needs something for these kids, for these teenagers, so that those cycles aren’t repeating themselves,” she said of substance abuse leading to addiction and homelessness.
Another community services association employee countered the impression that a thrift store appealed only to a specific sector of the population.
“We’re not targetting specifically our vulnerable populations. And I understand that’s a common misconception. But that’s not necessarily what’s happening here for us anyways,” the employee said.
“Our community is seeing a huge number of unemployed individuals, people who are penny pinching. I think everyone in the community can benefit from receiving items at a lower cost.”
The public hearing was held April 16, the same night as a regular council meeting and council members weighed in with their opinions in debating whether a bylaw to approve of a retail store at the location should be passed or not.
Mayor Shane Brienen was first with his comments saying that while he had earlier provided a letter of support, he could not now vote in favour of the bylaw.
“And I know that we’ve issued a letter of support and it’s unfortunate but I just don’t feel we can be changing zoning if the neighbourhood doesn’t want it,” he said.
Councillor Troy Reitsma said he was initially in support of the rezoning when he was under the impression a thrift store would be an accessory to other programming at the location.
But after listening to presentations, he then understood a thrift store would be a primary feature and for that reason was now against the rezoning.
Councillor Rebecca Hougen agreed with Reitsma, saying she was under the impression all of the community services association’s programming would be moving to the church building.
“I think that it doesn’t fit within our rules that we have for residential use,” she said.
Hougen added that she favours finding another spot and that it is a project worth supporting.
Councillor Jonathan van Barneveld noted that neighbours aren’t against a thrift store, just its proposed location in their neighbourhood.
But he said that even without a thrift store in the building, the community services asssociation can run programming at the building and that will bring people to the neighbourhood regardless.
Councillor Tom Stringfellow said council could not deny the concerns of neighbours.
“Maybe it’s not going to be at the church but there’s still a need to work together and try and make it happen,” he added.
Councillor Tom Euverman said opposition to the thrift store was unfortunate and that the community services association should be supported in finding an alternate location.
Councillor Lisa Mueller, who was attending virtually, offered no comment.
There was no further discussion and when Brienen called for a vote, all were opposed.