All Roads Gets Temporary Permit

Monday, March 17, 2008 08:56 PM

Prince George, B.C. - All Roads RV has been granted it’s request for a two year temporary use permit on two lots adjacent to it’s Queensway operation.

The company wanted to have the property currently zoned commercial, to be rezoned to allow for the storage and servicing of recreational vehicles. This is the second time All Roads has applied to Council for such a change. This time, the company believed it had done the right thing in working with its neighbours to address the issues previously raised by the neighbours, namely parking congestion, increased traffic and commercial spill over on to Inlander Street.

All Roads hired a neighbourhood consultant, and held a meeting with neighbours last fall. All Roads proposed to not use one of the lots to maintain a buffer between the business and residential areas, rent out the home on one lot to maintain the residential zoning, move the fence closer to the sales site to increase parking, and install a gate on the south side to the laneway to allow traffic to flow through the lot rather than have traffic turning around on Hamilton Street.

All Roads wanted a two year temporary permit to allow it time to reassess its site situation and address all the concerns of the neighbours. Their commercial neighbours have expressed support for All Roads, noting how the RV sales company had cleaned up the property and that concerns about traffic flow have been unfounded. There were also letters from residents in the package, those letters were not as flattering, stating nothing had changed and their concerns remainded the same. The residents expressed distrust that All Roads would exit the property at the end of the two years if the permit was to be granted.

One of the letter writers, Anne Muirhead, told Council she would like to see the lots in question turned back into residential and expressed anger over the past actions of All Roads RV. She outlined how the company had been using the lots without permission and that court proceedings had been started to end the practice before All Roads stopped using the lots for storage of vehicles.

City Staff say the temporary use permit is “simply another way to seek approval for a previously unacceptable proposal” Staff also say All Roads will continue to face issues until they find a site that is large enough for their business.

The temporary use permit has been granted with the provision that the permit not be issued until a covenant has been placed on lot 8 protecting what neighbours call "the little blue house" as a residential use.

Councilor Munoz doesn't believe the parking and traffic issues will disappear, she says the oppositee, that the expansion of the business means there will be more traffic and more parking issues. She says by approving the temporary use permit now, when a similar rezoning application was denied before, Council would not be consistant with it's vision for the Queensway area. Her argument was supported by Councilor Brian Sakun who said he relies on the professional staff who recommended the application be denied.

Councilor Don Zurowski says it is not unique when there is commercial and residential interface there are bound to be challenges. "I have trouble seeing how using lots 6 and 7 and leaving lot 8 as a buffer would have a negative impact on the neighbourhood with this adjustment." He says he sees it as a responsible use of the property and will put traffic pressure on the neighbourhood but the operators will have to continue to work with the neighbours.

Councilor Krause expressed concern about vehicles being parked in the area for some time waiting for parts. That is why he cannot support the recommendation. Councilor Gratton says she is concerned about the heritage area and the parking of large RV's so she too would not support the temorary permit.

Mayor Colin Kinsley says if the three lots in question were amalgamated in the future, the property could be used for a liquor establishment minor, and that may have more of an impact on the neighbourhood than the current use. "Even though this may not sit well with a lot of folks, I think this is a win win situation." He says because All Roads plans to use other vacant lots along Queensway, the neighbourhood will be even better.

The final vote was Mayor Kinsley, and Councillors Bassermann, Scott, Sethen and Zurowski in favour, while Councillors Krause, Munoz, Gratton and Skakun opposed.

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