Prince Rupert property developer “shocked” at rezoning proposal

A rezoning bylaw amendment has “shocked” a city property developer with the proposal of a change in property designation from residential to industrial and a change to the Offical Community Plan (OCP) to allow the variation.

The property, which sold on March 31, and has been on the sales market for more than a year, is located at the corner of Prince Rupert Blvd. and Portage Rd. and previously housed the Pentecostal Tabernacle.

It is located directly across from a site on Drake Cres. being developed for a 42 unit townhome complex due to start construction later this year, and is across Portage Rd. from Oasis Apartments. It is currently designated residential under the OCP and zoned P1:Public Facilities under the bylaws. Redesignation to Industrial and rezoning to M1-Light Industrial is proposed to allow use for the new purchasers use.

A third reading of the new zoning bylaw 3490 and amendment to the OCP was passed by the city council to forward to the Ministry of Transportation for approval, after the public hearing was held on March 28.

“We of course are surprised that this came up,” Kevin Stunder, of Drake Heights Development Partnership told The Northern View.

“The recent June 2021 Offical Community Plan deemed it residential. It does seem odd that at a time when there is such demand for new homes in the city, this would be considered, he said adding there was short notice of the change.

“So we felt that since the OCP is only eight months old, potentially we should be looking to protect areas of residential given the housing crisis in Prince Rupert — especially in areas that are situated so close to amenities such as the high school and Conrad Elementary,” he said.

Stunder presented in the public hearing that the site is along the daily path of hundreds of children and in line with the OCP, the area should be calmed.

Myfannwy Pope, Prince Rupert city planner presented at the public hearing the rezoning was unlikely to add significant disturbance to the surrounding area because properties to the south and west are already industrial. She said amending the zoning would contribute by providing additional space for “diverse industrial businesses or commercial services to operate.”

“It was quite shocking to see this come toward a public hearing,” Stunder said, suggesting if the area is rezoned restricted use and conditions be attached.

In a letter sent to Prince Rupert mayor and city council, dated March 25, Stunder proposes some restricted use could be, service commercial use, office space, retail use with a floor not exceeding 1000 square metres, contractor offices, shops, and storage use, as well accessory buildings.

Also suggested was the removal of uses such as automobile body and repairs shops, vehicle sales and rentals, light industrial use, freight and truck terminal, impound yard, unenclosed storage, assembly halls, travellers accommodation and restaurants, shipping containers and entertainment centres.

“We do understand that there’s limited lands in Prince Rupert with many different needs,” he said adding the removal of residential lands in close proximity to a high school is hard to fathom.

“We have difficulty understanding that, especially with respect to this eight-month-old community plan … I call on council to consider the letter and consider that if you’re going against your own official community plan that you do so with the restrictions that we provided in our letter and in this discussion.”