Kimberley City Council has approved a road closure for the lane east of 74 Ross A St.. At a Regular Council Meeting on Monday, a public hearing was held, giving the residents adjacent to the laneway the chance to speak their mind.
Manager of Planning services Troy Pollock explained in a report to Council that the owner of 74 Ross A St. has offered to purchase the unimproved lane, comprising approximately 1,200 square feet adjacent to his property. The road closure bylaw is required to permanently close the road and to create title to the property for sale and consolidation with the existing property.
Council approved first, second and third readings of the road closure bylaw on the August 27 meeting, while the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure approved the bylaw on Sept. 13. They then approved the road closure bylaw after the public hearing on Monday.
Resident Andrea McDonald was present at the hearing to voice her concerns with the sale of the road. At this point, the road closure bylaw has only been approved and the sale of the land has yet to take place, however McDonald says that she, too, wishes to purchase a portion of the now closed laneway.
McDonald explained to Council that she and her husband tried to purchase the laneway in question several times over the past 25 years. When they first attempted to purchase, she says, the City told her that it was a fire lane and therefore it had to remain open. Her and her husband plan to build an apartment on top of their garage, which was why they wanted to purchase the laneway in the first place.
“I don’t know why we were turned down,” she said. “I guess it’s because we wanted to build an apartment and not a carriage house.”
Since then, a different proposal has come forth from the owner of 74 Ross A St.. He has already completed the necessary survey and variances that are required in order to build a carriage house as well as purchase the now-closed laneway.
Pollock says that the laneway could be split and sold to both properties, however the preference of the planning department is that it remains as one parcel sold to the applicant, especially since he has already completed the work necessary to move forward with the sale and building of the carriage home.
“The proposed road closure and sale will not interfere with any future road or infrastructure projects,” said Pollock. “The purchaser is responsible for the survey and bylaw advertising costs.”
corey.bullock@kimberleybulletin.com
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