City attempting to shut down autoshop
[attach]4568[/attach]The city has taken legal action against North Avenue Auto Service for operating without a business licence since April of this year.
The Brooke Avenue and Avenue Road shop gained notoriety when owner Lisa Watson was mistakenly issued a business licence in December 2009 in advance of a bylaw change scheduled for January 2010, which excluded service stations from the neighbourhood.
When the matter came to the city’s attention last year, Ward 16 councillor Karen Stintz admitted that a mistake had been made, but said the garage would be permitted to operate for the duration of the licence.
“The city has acknowledged its errors and emissions and gross negligence in this matter and is prepared to make settlement with the applicant to make sure that she’s made whole and her damages have been taken care of,” said councillor Stintz during a public meeting last year.
In January 2011, Stintz said that the licence would not be renewed after it expired this spring.
However, the shop is still in operation.
The city’s legal services have contacted the property owner who allegedly has given notice to Watson to cease operations and has said that the lease will be terminated by September 1. Stintz said Watson’s lawyer has assured the city that the garage will close by that time.
“The tenant has confirmed through their solicitor that they will cease operations by no later than September 1, 2011,” read a statement sent to the Town Crier by Stintz’s administrative assistant Adah Pettingill.
Stintz said that litigation is still ongoing, but added the city now has taken legal action of its own due to the fact that the auto shop is operating without a licence.
“They have been advised that the licence has not been extended and that the land use is not permitted,” she said. “The city has taken legal action against the landlord and the owner of the garage.”
Watson did not return the Town Crier’s calls regarding this issue as of press time.
– With files from Alina Smirnova
