Mountain Equipment Co-op in encountering opposition from local bike shops to its plans to move its store in North Vancouver, BC to a much larger building in the town, according to nsnews.com, the website operated by North Shore News.
MEC has already acquired the 27,000-square foot former industrial building, but must rezone it from industrial/retail to retail to use the entire building for retail.
News that MEC would seek the rezoning sparked protests from local IDBs, who complained loudly earlier this year when the co-op decided to start selling bicycles. IBDs have argued that MEC's tax treatment as a co-op gives it an unfair advantage over for profit businesses.
Further, they argued that by granting the rezoning request, town officials would be subsidizing MEC, which they argue would have had to pay millions of dollars more for a site already zoned for retail.
Some town officials have indicated they are more concerned about how rezoning the building would reduce the availability of scare industrial property in the town.
The town council will take up the proposal in a town hall meeting in early January.
