City of Prince Rupert staff will now have the authority to approve up to $100,000 worth of building projects without having to bring those projects before City Council.
The move comes after City Planner Zeno Krekic heard from some local contractors the ceiling should be increased from the existing $25,000 to as high as $200,000. The suggestion arose during a series of meetings Krekic held with local contractors and City staff.
Some contractors argued there were delays in project starts because of the process and too many applications had to go before council.
“The contractors were robust about increasing staff’s authority,” Krekic told council, adding he was asked by some of the contractors to research what other communities are doing and learned it runs the gamut, ranging “from all to nothing.”
All development permit applications in Terrace go before council. In Smithers, there is a one-time $75,000 exemption to an application agreeing with the design guidelines that can be approved by the director of development services.
While in Prince George, all approvals are delegated to the director of planning, but if an applicant is not satisfied with the decision he or she can apply to council within 30 days.
“It is important to indicate that the Local Government Act always allows applicants to apply directly to council,” Krekic said.
Reacting to the change, Vince Amante, owner of a building in the 800 block of Third Avenue in Prince Rupert’s downtown, advocated the change is a good one.
“To have to go and ask for a permit from the City to make a place look better is enough without having to go to a meeting with council. Why delay the process? You’re only trying to make improvements,” he said.
Corey Kitchen, General Manager of the Coast Hotel, agreed with lifting the $25,000 ceiling, but said he wondered if the City’s had gone too far.
“I think projects between $25,000 and $50,000 are about the same kind of work being done. I think they could have left it at $50,000,” Kitchen said.
