Skip to content

Squamish council supports limiting commercial uses in business park

Two readings on 'stopgap' bylaw pass, issue will go to a public hearing
real

A measure to clamp down on commercial uses in the business park is getting closer to becoming a reality.

On May 21, council voted 5-1 in favour of passing the first two readings of a bylaw that's intended to put temporary limits on adding more commercial uses in that area.

Coun. Chris Pettingill was the sole council member to oppose the motion, while Coun. Jenna Stoner was absent.

This measure was proposed by staff, who said that commercial uses in the business park were threatening to drown out what they considered true industrial activity. Staff and council intend it to be a quick, temporary fix until the lengthy zoning bylaw update is finished sometime next year.

"This, to me, is kind of a pause or a stopgap measure to allow us to put some of the other business park pieces together," said Coun. Doug Race.

That bylaw update is expected to have a better, more permanent way of addressing industrial-commercial conflict in the business park.

Among the highlights of the bylaw is the establishment of an I-11 business park industrial zone throughout much of the area.

This would restrict commercialized uses. For example, this would prevent more restaurants and fitness centres from opening in that area wherever that zoning applied.

It would also cut down on automobile-oriented commercial and building supply outlet uses.

Already-existing businesses fitting those descriptions would still be allowed to function, as would those that already have a development application underway.

However, it would put a damper on any new commercial additions throughout much of the area.

In the Rail Marshalling Yard, it would change the I-2 zone to ban cannabis production.

Councillors were supportive of the proposed bylaw, though they questioned staff's inclusion of some measures that would increase allowed building height.

For instance, in some areas, the proposal would bump height to 15 metres, up from 10.68 metres.

The change wasn't previously discussed with council, a report to council reads, but staff is recommending the change to reduce the number of height variances in the business park.

Owners often ask for increased height to offset losses due to the flood construction level, which requires buildings be built on elevations to prevent flood damage. However, it eats into a structure's allotted height.

"Considering the limited... interface between the business park and residential areas and supportive policy, staff suggest this change is appropriate at this time," the report to council reads.

"It seemed appropriate to go with this height change now, simply because we've never resisted a height variance in the business park, and as we go for a zoning bylaw update, we might want to put a different height," said Jonas Velaniskis, the District's director of planning, at the meeting.

Another measure for the Rail Marshalling Yard would increase the maximum permitted height for principal buildings to 25 metres, up from 10.68m. Staff said it would accommodate height-intensive industrial buildings.

Pettingill questioned the height increase, and opposed the bylaw on those grounds.

"These are things that I would prefer to consider in a more holistic bylaw rewrite when we know a little more clarity around what sort of permitted uses we're going to have in these sort of things," he said.

Mayor Karen Elliott disagreed, saying she'd rather see the heights go up to allow flexibility while still addressing the flood construction level.

"I think we want to provide as much flexibility as possible in these zones for industrial uses," she said.

Squamish's business community appears to be holding off on taking a position regarding the matter for the moment.

"The Squamish Chamber supports the preservation and enhancement of employment lands for various business operations," reads a statement from executive director Louise Walker of the Chamber of Commerce.

"The review being conducted by the District is important and timely, and the chamber is in the process of gathering feedback from our business park members so that we can provide informed input in the next stage of public consultation."

The matter will go to a public hearing before more decisions are made. The hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 18, 2019.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks