Some Squamish parents have banded together to say no to an oil and lube business proposal planned near their children’s downtown school.
Members of the Squamish Elementary parent advisory council (PAC) and about 20 students attended district council’s committee of the whole meeting Tuesday to say no to the proposal. Brockton Projects plans to build a quick lube at 38310 Buckley Avenue in front of the school.
“I, like many parents, fear for my children’s safety with the proposed industrial business,” parent spokesperson Kate O’Connor told council. “We as the PAC feel there are pedestrian safety issues in proximity to the industrial business.”
Concerns about the business included an increase in traffic, the possibility of a school having to share an entranceway with a commercial and industrial business, and the chance of an industrial accident.
“We strongly urge you to pass a bylaw to prohibit industry adjacent to school, and before any commercial business is approved in this area, we strongly urge you to do traffic and speed studies that are independent, and not done by developers.”
O’Connor presented a petition against the proposal signed by 138 families.
Squamish Elementary has 400 students and is the largest elementary school in the district.
The teardrop-shaped property at the entrance to downtown is owned by BCR Properties Ltd, which has a mandate to sell off all of its non-rail properties in communities around B.C.
Mayor Patricia Heintzman said she understood the delegation’s concerns, but pointed out the private property is worth about $2.5 million, more than the district could afford.
“We could in theory rezone it commercial, we can’t rezone it park, but we could rezone it commercial – [but] that might create worse traffic problems,” she said.
“We are challenged as to what we can zone it to and what we can’t zone it to and what would be allowable.”
Councillor Susan Chapelle said industrial businesses shouldn’t be next to schools, and she suggested council change the zoning and then insist on a business that people would have to walk to.
“If it was up-zoned to commercial, it doesn’t have to be a place where you have to park your cars, we could have centralized parking in a different location and make it walk-able businesses,” she said.
The project’s development variance permit has yet to come before council.
The public will be given an opportunity to let council know what they think of the proposal at a future, yet-to-be-scheduled public hearing, according to district staff.
“I think it is great the council listened to us, and I am excited to hear back what options the council might have,” O’Connor said after her presentation.
