Exhibition Property Set To Be Re-Zoned To Allow Long Term Rentals
The Moose Jaw Exhibition Company will now find it a little bit easier to rent out land it leases from the City of Moose Jaw thanks to a zoning change.
The Exhibition Company has requested the property, located at 250 Thatcher Drive East, to have it’s zoning changed from CS – Community Service/Institutional District to CZ – Contract Zone.
By changing the zoning the Exhibition Company will be able to go ahead and rent land on a long term basis on land they lease from the City.
Presently the Exhibition has a 15 year lease from the City.
Property that is zoned CS is not allowed to be sub-leased to other parties but the CZ zoning will allow the Exhibition Company to do so.
Allowing the zoning change affords the Exhibition Company the ability to generate more revenues economic development officer Jim Dixon told Council.
Dixon presented a positive review of the application going on to make the recommendation for Council to approve the zoning change application.
“I don’t have a problem with this recommendation. I believe this is an opportunity as a revenue generator. The Exhibition Company is general quiet and under the radar and able to achieve a lot,” Mayor Fraser Tolmie said in support of the recommendation.
The Exhibition Company would like to enter into a long term lease of a portion of the Diner Building - not used by the Exhibition Company - to a firm called Inner Strength that sells gym equipment as well as a massage therapy being set up adjacent to Inner Strength.
The Diner Building is the building just north of the Golden Nugget (Casino) Building and prior to the long term lease with Inner Strength was rented annually by the Moose Jaw Humane Society for their annual book sale.
The Humane Society is now hosting its book sales fundraiser in a back room located at the shelter.
EXHIBTION COMPANY EXPLAINS BENEFITS
The change makes it easier for the Moose Jaw Exhibition rent to third parties.
“If we want to rent long term to somebody we can go through Administration instead if going to Council,” George Fowler general manager of the Moose Jaw Exhibition told MJ Independent.
When a property is rented long term from the Exhibition the property then becomes taxable and subject to property taxes. By legislation the Exhibitions do not pay property taxes.
The Exhibition does not have to pay the property tax on the rental but the tenant does.
“They (the tenant) would be billed directly by the City,” Fowler said, adding “we get the rent and they (the City) gets (property) taxes and everybody wins.”
Council voted unanimously to request Administration prepare the necessary amendments to the Zoning Bylaw as well as advertise them for public feedback to allow the Bylaw change.