Rona has received the green light to construct a storage building on its lot at 252 Second Ave. North adjacent to the store in Williams Lake.
At its regular meeting Tuesday, city council approved a development permit variance for a 5.8 metre-high building allowance to occupy 41 per cent of the lot with the building, a minimum front lot setback for accessory buildings of 3.1 metres, reduced from 7.6 metres, and a minimum interior lot line set back for 0 metres, reduced from 1.5 metres.
The vote was unanimous, although Coun. Craig Smith removed himself from the discussion and vote due to a conflict of interest as one of the businesses he owns is in close proximity to the proposed building.
Members of the public were given the opportunity to make comments.
Gregg Pritchard lives at 278 Second Ave. North and told council he and his wife had concerns about the proposed building as their property line is about 15 feet from the Rona property line and proposed alley change.
“If they put a 19-foot building there it could affect our sunshine in the winter and block it off,” Pritchard said.
Carol Ann Taphorn of Interior Properties wrote a letter to council and suggested that Pritchard’s property value will decrease if Rona makes a 33-foot road to the right side of their property as part of the structure building project.
“The purpose of this road would be of industrial nature such as loading and unloading trucks, considering the proximity to the property on Second Avenue North, currently zoned commercial/residential, the value of this property would decrease significantly due to its current residential primary status,” Taphorn noted.
Coun. Jason Ryll voted in favour of approving the development permit variances, but said there are issues such as drainage and fencing that need to be addressed.
Ryll put forward a second resolution asking staff to make sure that the proponent work with the neighbours to make sure concerns are addressed.
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