Sarnia's mayor wants to make sure a pending land sale in the Sarnia Business and Research Park is the right fit.
Council is being asked Monday to approve a proposed agreement received from Fernco Connectors LTD for 4.5 acres on the south side of Wellington St., east of and adjacent to the former Dow Recreation Centre.
Mike Bradley, chair of the County of Lambton Community Development Corporation that runs the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park, says it would be the first sale of the serviced lands the city owns around the research park.
"A concern that I have as we start to have economic development there and selling off acreage, is that we make sure that it's compatible with what is a very prestigious research park that was selected as the top out of 700 in North America," says Bradley. "We need to keep the aesthetics in mind as we approve these projects. There appear to be enough conditions in this particular deal to ensure that happens. But, it is important that we have a long-term plan and make sure the research park is consulted on any activity that's occurring around it on that 300 acres."
Fernco Connectors, which is currently located on Phillip St. in Sarnia, creates couplings that join pipes in all types of in-house and sewer applications and roof drains.
The company wants to build a 30,000 sq ft warehouse and distribution centre that would initially employ ten people and expand to 20 people once it's completely occupied.
Proceeds of the land sale, at $55,000 an acre, would be credited to the Business Park Reserve Fund.