Council approval brings a McDonald's one step closer to Elora

ELORA  ‒ McDonald's is officially coming to Elora. 

During a meeting Monday evening, council approved a request to remove the holding zone symbol from a portion of 94 Wellington Road 7, allowing the development of a standalone drive-through McDonald's restaurant to proceed on the front portion of the property. 

Included in the report, staff’s holding zone removal requirements were the completion of a noise assessment report, submission of a vegetation management plan, and the execution of any agreements deemed necessary, such as development or site plan agreements, servicing agreements, and any necessary easements.

“This is considered phase one of the redevelopment of the site so it's really the front half only,” said Mariana Iglesias, manager of planning services, during the meeting. “So the holding is being removed from the front portion but will remain on the rear portion.”

According to Iglesias, the rear portion will be redeveloped at a future date and is subject to both a rezoning amendment and an official plan amendment to re-designate those lands adjacent from industrial to highway commercial. 

Iglesias also noted that in conjunction with this application, there are additional applications before the county’s Land Division Committee to create the necessary easements and lot line adjustments. 

If approved, these will provide appropriate access to the site shared between the two properties. 

During a public meeting in June, while few spoke on the proposal, Debra Kropf, owner of the Geddes Street Market independent grocery store opened in 2021, was “strongly opposed.”

Patterson wasn’t sure how to respond to Kropf but assured the public feedback is taken very seriously and will be taken into account. 

Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.