Public Hearings On Development Issues

By 250 News

Of the several  public hearings  before Prince George City Council , two  sparked lengthy discussion.

The first dealt with  the plans to  relocate a liquor store on the site  alongside a gas station on Boeing Road.  The liquor store would see the transfer of the permit for the store that has been operating in the basement of the Bonnet Hill Pub.

The application called for a cross access agreement with the neighbouring property owner.  The  owner of that  adjacent property  has died, and the estate  is not in the position to sign such an agreement.  The applicant now wants that matter waived.  City staff  are concerned the  access to the property isn’t safe without an agreement from the neighbour’s property.

Councillors echoed that concern saying the addition of a liquor store will increase traffic and without a legal agreement  on access, there are real concerns about the safety if the existing entrance is the only one available.  Councillors Bassermann, Zurowski, Munoz, Skakun, Gratton, Krause and Sethen  voted against waiving the cross access agreement.

Councillor Glen Scott says it is only 15 feet and it is "a line in the sand."  He wanted to support the  waiver, "We are loooking at two businesses who want to make the city better, I will vote in favour of the  waiver." He was joined by Mayor Colin Kinsley in supporting the waiver."I think if we hadn’t had this rezoning trigger, we wouldn’t have known about it, (the safety issue) but,  as what often happens with us it triggers a process, nothing is going to change tomorrow if we pass it, or if we defeat it, people are going to use the access or egress  they have used in the past 25 years."

Lee Sexsmith  is the  holder of the  liquor store licence, he says he is hopeful the Bonnet Hill Pub will allow him to stay on the  premises until  this matter can  be resolved. Denying the  request to waive the  need for an agreement means the  matter will not get  4th and final reading until such  an  agreement is registered on title.

The other hearing to spark discussion  was the  development planned for the vacant lot next to Howie's Marine.

The application  was to have a parcel of land on the Nechako River re-zoned to allow the construction of a 21 unit multi- family complex.  Councilor Shirley Gratton asked for a traffic study to be conducted as she is concerned  about the access to the area.

There were also concerns expressed by neighbouring businesses.  A spokesman for Howie’s Marine  says the nature of its business means there will be noise " We don’t want to end up like the asphalt plant and  in the future have new neighbours complaining about how we do business."  Tom Leboe from Pacific Western Brewing also spoke against the residential  development, again concerned that  residential  development  now, could lead to residents complaining about noise in the future."We have had comments from people on Preston Road about how our mash smells. We are a brewery, and a brewery smells like a brewery."  

Cedar’s Christian School  also had some representatives asking for a month delay on the project.  Cedar’s now owns  ten acres in the immediate area, and plans to add four portables on the site as it pushes forward with hopes of doubling its student population to 700. The school  says it seems that formal notice of the application would have been  appropriate, and  the school has not had enough time to digest what this residential development will mean to the area. Their plans will mean additional traffic in the area. 

Only Councilor's Munoz and Scott  opposed the development.

Other hearings tonight:

• A request to increase density for a housing project on Johnson Street.  The matter was approved.
• A request  to allow  a change to the zoning for Sutdio 2880 to allow a non profit community radio station to set up a  broadcast studio on that site. No opposition on this one, it was given unanimous approval.
• Discharge a land use contract on East Austin Road. It too was given approval.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us