Council denies variance permits for duplexes
Council for the District of Squamish went against a staff recommendation Tuesday (July 4) when it denied a variance permit that would allow two duplexes to be built on a lot deemed too narrow to support them.
Staff recommended that property owner Andrew Hanson receive a variance permit to allow two proposed side-by-side Government Road duplexes with 52-foot wide frontages instead of the required 75-foot wide frontage. The frontage is measured at 15 feet from the sidewalk. Staff made the recommendation because at 56 feet from the sidewalk, the lot accommodates the 75-foot width requirement, according to planning department staff member Sabina FooFat.
"Both proposed lots have substantial areas that are 75 feet wide, and can provide at least 2,820 square feet of buildable ground level area while staying within setback requirements," states a staff report.
Three residents neighbouring the site appealed to council to disallow the variance because of issues of densification, traffic and parking.
"There's nowhere for kids to play street hockey, basketball," said one neighbour. "I'm afraid kids will get hurt."
Coun. Corinne Lonsdale said she supported the variance because with a lot that size, the owner could suggest an even denser development. Coun. Mike Jenson also supported the variance, saying the lot seems an adequate size for two duplexes. But Coun. Jeff McKenzie objected, saying the lot was too small.
Council deadlocked on the variance permit with Lonsdale, Jenson and Coun. Patricia Heintzman in favour and councillors Raj Kahlon and Jeff McKenzie and Mayor Ian Sutherland opposed. The permit failed on the tie vote.
Carney's composter on notice again
Sutherland said Carney's Waste Systems will once again appear before council July 18 to explain the persistence of odours at their composting station on Queens Way. Neighbouring businesses have complained about the odours for more than two years, and have reminded council that the rezoning bylaw allowing the business to open at the Industrial Park location included a clause promising no noticeable odour beyond the business's property line. Carney's owner Owen Carney came before council on March 21 to explain the technical difficulties around the odour and was given until the end of June to resolve the problem or face suspension or termination of his business license, but the problem persists.
Council decides use of surplus funds
Tempers flared over a debate on what to do with a $57,000 surplus resulting from scaled-back improvements on Centennial Way tennis courts. Bob Kusch Director of Recreation, Parks and Tourism presented council with an option for the surplus during the Committee of the Whole meeting earlier Tuesday afternoon.
Kusch said council's commitment to improving the Don Ross Secondary School football field would cost $20,000 more than the anticipated $30,000 allocated to the project in the budget, but "the good news is the tennis courts were completed for $23,000 instead of $80,000," he said.
Kahlon made a motion to allocate $3,000 more to the tennis courts with the remaining $35,000 go to infrastructure projects such as roads and sewers. But Lonsdale said she didn't like that the idea was "sprung on me that fast" and said the district might want to allocate funds elsewhere, such as toward affordable housing issues.
Kahlon said he'll remember that the tennis court project was scaled back in the future, adding that he made compromises during budget deliberations in an effort to get the project through. Lonsdale said councillors don't barter back and forth for "their own private projects at the expense of other things."
Lonsdale immediately apologized, however, when Kahlon said it was not his own private project.
McKenzie supported the motion to allocate the remaining $35,000 to infrastructure projects, but the motion was defeated with the rest of council opposed. Council supported putting an extra $20,000 toward the football field. And council passed a motion to decide on the remaining $35,000 at a future date with Kahlon opposed.
Green municipal loan authorized
Council voted unanimously to accept the terms of a $1.25 million loan to be used for remediation of the former Nexen lands. The municipal finance authority states the low interest loan cannot benefit a private company. Questions arose among council members during the June 20 council meeting when it was feared the loan would be seen as benefiting a private business since the district has a 50/50 partnership with Qualex Development for the development of the land.
District administrator Kim Anema said the resolution simply states council will not sell the land without prior repayment of the loan. The resolution passed unanimously.
Council supports street closures for filming
Council unanimously passed a motion to close Victoria Street from Cleveland Ave. to Loggers Lane for the filming of Blade: the Series Friday (July 7) from 12 to 9 p.m. Lonsdale said although she supports the film industry's presence in Squamish, she'd like to survey downtown merchants for their reactions to street closures. Jenson said he received complaints from local restaurants during recent filming that saw a three-day closure of Cleveland Avenue. He agreed, however, that the film industry should be encouraged to use Squamish locations.
Depot Road closed to highway traffic
Community development director Mick Gottardi made a recommendation to close the Depot Road highway exit from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for the Squamish Triathlon on Sunday (June 9). Sutherland said he wasn't pleased with the short notice. Squamish Triathlon organizers said the reason for the short notice was that they didn't get the Ministry of Transportation's permission until recently. Council unanimously passed the motion to close Depot Road to highway traffic.
