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Thorncrest Outfitters wants planning permission to open a retail outfitters store on its Carlisle Street property near Denny’s Dam, and to revive the Bull’s Head Inn which operated over 180 years ago as a stagecoach stop.
Thorncrest Outfitters wants planning permission to open a retail outfitters store on its Carlisle Street property near Denny’s Dam, and to revive the Bull’s Head Inn which operated over 180 years ago as a stagecoach stop.

Bruce County planners have been asked to “shuffle” their workload ensure a quick report for Town of Saugeen Shores Council on Thorncrest Outfitters’ zoning application for a retail store and inn on its Carlisle Street property in Southampton on the Saugeen River near Denny’s Dam.

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Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau suggested to Bruce County planner Barbara Mugabe that it would be “very good” if the report could come back “soon” after she presented details of the application at a mandatory virtual public meeting Feb. 28.

The application would change the agricultural-zoned portion of the site to commercial recreation special to permit a limited range of uses including retail and commercial uses; specifically an outfitters retail store, equipment rental use associated with the Saugeen River.
Mugabe said Tim and Janette Thorne also want to re-establish an inn in their home where the former Bull’s Head Inn operated from the 1840s to 1950s, originally as an overnight stagecoach stop. That would require relief from the Town’s front yard setback rule. The Thornes’ also want approval for a single-family detached house on the site.

Mugabe noted that although Bruce County Council approved an associated Official Plan amendment application to allow commercial use on agricultural land, a neighbour has appealed that decision to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT)

No one from the public asked to speak during the meeting, but written comments from neighbours, the Hunters, raised concerns with the potential for increased traffic and asked why a business would been allowed in a residential / agricultural zone, and why construction continued when no building permit had been issued for the storage building that was signed “Future Superstore”.

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Ron Davidson, the Thorne’s planner, said he hoped the planning issues with the neighbour could be handled outside the LPAT process. He suggested the agricultural zoning on the property is “silly” as it is a very small lot, part way down a hill.

Concerning the Hunter’s concerns about increased traffic, Davidson noted that their failed attempt for permission for a wedding venue on their adjacent property several years earlier would have generated more traffic than the Thorne’s plans.

Tim Thorne said they are trying to create a new facility for their environmentally friendly programming. “The purpose today is to get this land back to its purposes that were used almost 200 years ago… our country was founded on businesses like this – you know, companies like the North West Company or the Hudson’s Bay Co. that started these kind of locations, doing sort, of what we’re doing…” Thorne said.

This building was constructed as storage for Thorncrest Outfitters at its Carlisle Street location on the Saugeen river in Southampton and would require Town of Saugeen Shores permission to use as a store for the kayak/canoe rental business. [Town of Saugeen Shores]
This building was constructed as storage for Thorncrest Outfitters at its Carlisle Street location on the Saugeen river in Southampton and would require Town of Saugeen Shores permission to use as a store for the kayak/canoe rental business. [Town of Saugeen Shores]

Thorne urged councillors to quickly deal with the applications, calling them a “bit of a COVID kind of recovery project for us and the public” and said he hopes for a spring start.

Town of Saugeen Shores staff is “strongly supportive of the rezoning. The province did not submit written comments but asked for details about separation from other development and for the developer to look at non-agricultural land for the project. Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA) said an Environmental Impact study to address the natural heritage features is not required, as the intended uses will occur within the existing building area.

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Although councillors, as per policy, made no decision at the public meeting, several were clear in their support of the Thorncrest Outfitters plans, including Deputy Mayor Don Matheson who called it a “great” project for what had always been a property with a derelict house with no agricultural activity that had adequate parking.

Vice Deputy Mayor Mike Myatt wanted details on timing of a staff report, potential timing delays with the LPAT process and associated costs.

Planner Mugabe said they hope to have a report for council in April as there are other applications slated for March. She also said it could be a couple of months before an LPAT hearing, but planner Davidson suggested they are looking at six-to-nine months before getting into the expensive hearing process over the Bruce County Official Plan approval.

Mayor Luke Charbonneau pushed for a planning staff report and recommendation to council “soon.”

“Given the situation that Mr. Thorne is facing here, Council owes a decision to the Thorne’s, so they can advance through the rest of the process…” Charbonneau said, adding absent comments from councillors questioning the merits of the project, he’s “very keen” to see a recommendation come back quickly.

Thorncrest Outfitters owner Tom Thorne (bottom right) provided details of plans to revive an old inn and open a retail store to support their kayak/canoe rental businesses on Carlisle Street near Denny’s Dam in Southampton during the Feb. 28 virtual Town of Saugeen Shores committee of the whole meeting. [YouTube screen grab]
Thorncrest Outfitters owner Tom Thorne (bottom right) provided details of plans to revive an old inn and open a retail store to support their kayak/canoe rental businesses on Carlisle Street near Denny’s Dam in Southampton during the Feb. 28 virtual Town of Saugeen Shores committee of the whole meeting. [YouTube screen grab]

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