Adult and Teen Challenge has received the green light from Steinbach City Council to relocate its thrift store and offices into the city’s industrial park on the west side — a decision council supported unanimously.
The organization applied for a conditional use permit to operate at 16 Pioneer Road, within the M1 Light Industrial Zone. That zoning does not normally allow retail operations, but council made an exception based on the nature of the project and the existing structure on the site.
Existing building helps decision
Deputy Mayor Michael Zwaagstra said council saw value in repurposing the Kindale building, which could be difficult to fill.
“We decided to approve the conditional use largely because this is an existing building,” said Zwaagstra. “Most of the building would be for their other services and their offices. We just felt that this was a good fit for this particular location.”
The 23,000-square-foot structure will house about 10,000 square feet of retail space for Adult and Teen Challenge’s thrift store. The remainder will be used for office space, warehousing, and a garage — all permitted uses under current zoning.
Zwaagstra emphasized that the retail portion is small and connected to programming.
“This is not like your typical retail,” he said. “This is a retail store that is really focused on providing meaningful activity for the people who are involved in the program.”
Councillors support unique application
Councillor Damian Penner voiced his support, noting this application presents a “challenge that Adult and Teen Challenge is trying to solve — putting many things into one box.”
“Zoning is often very much a box that you need to fit within,” Penner said. “Having office space, having an industrial component as well as a retail component makes that challenging for them, and this does seem like a very good option.”
Penner said this site is a better fit than the one proposed by the organization earlier this year, which council denied.
“This is an existing building already, and there is also a consideration that needs to be made for repurposing existing buildings,” he said. “If you look around at some of the other lots around there, they also don't fit into that perfect box of industrial either.”
Councillor Jake Hiebert, who noted that he usually opposes retail in industrial areas, also voted in favour.
“As Council knows, ordinarily I vote against any retail in industrial areas,” said Hiebert. “I think this is a unique application in a number of ways.”
Hiebert pointed out that several non-industrial businesses already operate nearby.
“If we look in the area, we’ve got places like MPI, we’ve got Manitoba Hydro, and we have other businesses there already. I think this is a good fit for Adult and Teen Challenge. It’s a good cause in our community.”
Conditions and servicing requirements
At the start of the July 2 public hearing, City Manager Troy Warkentin explained that under the City of Steinbach’s zoning bylaw, retail uses are conditional in the industrial zone. He noted that public notices were issued and no written objections were received.
Warkentin confirmed the building will be used for both retail and non-retail purposes. He also outlined servicing concerns.
“The existing water service for the site is undersized,” he said. “It is recommended that any such approval be conditional upon upgrading the water service to the required minimum.”
Council also included a clause that the conditional use will expire if Adult and Teen Challenge end their retail activity. Penner noted this as an important feature of the approval.
“There is going to be an opportunity that if the applicant does choose to move in the future, that there is a sunset clause on that property with regards to the conditional use,” he said.
Second time, different result
This was not Adult and Teen Challenge’s first attempt to operate in Steinbach’s industrial park. Earlier this year, in February, the organization applied to open at 86 Industrial Road — a vacant lot. That request was denied due to the broader implications for future retail development on that site.
Zwaagstra said this time was different.
“There’s a big difference between repurposing an existing building where a portion of it will be used for retail and having a blanket conditional use for an entire vacant property,” he said.
Council ultimately concluded that the project met a community need while maintaining the integrity of the industrial zone.