Kimberley City Council has set a date for a public hearing on a zoning change in Marysville, but not without some on council voting against setting a date, which would stop the process in its tracks.
Given the tremendous community interest, and the public feedback generated, Council will hold the meeting as an in-person event at McKim School on Tuesday, June 27, 7 p.m., and a phone-in meeting at Council Chambers on June 28.
The zoning amendment would change land use for properties just north of Highway 95A in Marysville. The properties are currently used for long-term self-storage and designated Industrial. The rezoning would designate the properties Commercial for development of a highway commercial retail centre.
And while setting a date for a public hearing is usually a fairly routine matter, this one provoked quite a robust discussion, with Mayor McCormick trying to keep it to just setting a hearing date, but other councillors having many questions about the potential development.
The rezoning bylaw received first reading on February 13, 2023, and somewhere between second and third reading a public hearing should be scheduled, although Coun. Woody Maguire did ask if the public hearing date had to be set or if the process could come to a halt at this point.
While acknowledging that council could vote to not set a hearing date, Manager of Planning Services Troy Pollock said in a staff report that “Although staff are unable to provide a recommendation in support of further readings of the bylaws due to inconsistencies with the OCP and the implications of losing key industrial land supply, staff are recommending that a public hearing be scheduled to receive feedback from community members. There has been significant public interest concerning the proposal since First Reading, and staff feel that there should be an opportunity for the public to be heard on land use issues that have not been widely discussed at the municipal level.”
Coun. Sue Cairns had several questions regarding whether the development would be hooked up to city sewer and water and did the city’s waste water plant have the capacity for it, and also questions around who would pay for the stop light or round about the Ministry of Transportation was recommending.
Mayor McCormick said the city had more than enough capacity for the development, and Pollock said services were generally dealt with at the development permit level rather than rezoning.
McCormick added that this hearing was for land use only. The proposal could change completely before shovels hit the ground some two years in the future, he said.
“The motion tonight is not about the development itself, it’s about zoning.”
Cairns said she had more questions and McCormick asked her what they had to do with proceeding with setting a date for a public hearing.
Cairns said that the staff report had a lot of information she wanted a chance to ask about.
McGuire said given the feedback, he didn’t think the issue warranted a public hearing. “It’s a clear no,” he said, adding he would vote against setting a date.
“As a council we represent both sides,’ McCormick said. “Not going to a public hearing isn’t going to provide the well balanced conversation we need to have.”
Coun. Sandra Roberts said that any building would have to be to the standards now required.
“Who’s going to build if it’s not attached to city water and sewer,” she said. “Competition is good for business. I’d much rather try something in Kimberley than try it in Cranbrook. We’ve been trying to get some investment here. When we start turning business opportunities down, they will stop knocking on our doors.”
At this point, McCormick called for a vote to set a hearing date. It passed four votes to three with councillors McBain, Cairn and McGuire opposed.
READ: Proposal for restaurant and service station development in Marysville jumps first hurdle
READ: LETTERS: Marysville development
carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
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