DIDSBURY - Council has approved an amendment to the land use bylaw to allow market-type businesses where various vendors sell their products out of one location.
The move came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting, held in person and on YouTube.
Administration had recently been approached by a local business owner who wanted to open a market-type business in town, council heard.
“Upon review of the land use bylaw, administration noticed a gap where there was a definition for the use of a market but a use for market was not assigned to any district in the land use bylaw,” chief administrative officer Ethan Gorner said in a briefing note to council.
As a result, administration put forward an amendment to the land use bylaw to add the following definitions: permitted use and discretionary use to C1: commercial district general and C3: commercial district - core.
The bylaw includes definitions of market indoor and market outdoor.
• Market indoor means a development used in a commercial or retail nature for the sale of new or used goods, crafts and food products by multiple vendors renting tables and space within an enclosed building. Vendors may vary from day to day, but the general layout of space to be rented out stays the same.
• Market outdoor means a development used in a commercial or retail nature for the sale of new or used good, crafts and food products by multiple vendors renting tables and space located in tents in an outdoor setting. Vendors may vary from day to day, but the general layout of space to be rented out stays the same.
Council gave first reading to the bylaw amendment on Jan. 24 and carried second and third reading on Feb. 28.
Mayor Rhonda Hunter said the amendment will benefit town.
“It will be for any retail or business that wants to set up an indoor market,” Hunter told the Albertan. “It adds to the shopping experience where people can come to a building and inside there are 10 or 12 or 20 vendors. It is a really neat concept.
“The business that has been inquiring I think they will be happy to hear that second and third reading have happened so they can pursue their vision for an indoor market.”
