City Council members voted to move forward on plans to develop some affordable apartment housing on the city's east side, reintroducing a proposal for housing at the corner of Hays Cove Avenue and Frederick Street.
As we noted on Tuesday, the latest plan for the site is being fronted by the Gitmaxmak'ay Nisga'a Society which put in an application for variances with the city, Tuesday's Council session provided approval to take the topic to public notifications.
The city notes that the variance is being proposed in order to enable an application for funding for an external organization to develop affordable housing on the City-held lot.
The entire four page report can be reviewed here
As part of the discussion to the theme, Councillor Nick Adey recounted some of the controversy over the previous application process and how it had met with some resistance from area residents.
"I do want to set a little bit of context though in that this particular property and forms of these variance applications, although there are some differences, came to us before.
And it was the subject of some controversy and I know that there is some significant concerns about this among people in that neighbourhood, I think we need to respect that.
So I would like to see the process unfold again. But I also want to remind us that the outcome of that discussion was that there was an approval granted to the variances but it was in tandem with a caveat.
And I'm reading it, it's from June 26th, and that the Development Permit for 1300 Hays Cove Avenue be presented to Council for review and approval.
And I think the reason that that was added was because there was some concern that the eventual development itself do as much as we could humanly do to meet the concerns of the people who lived in the adjacent properties.
So I just wanted to remind all of us that that's there and I'm assuming that would therefore be a starting point for our consideration as we go through the process.
Mayor Pond cautioned Council on the theme of assumptions.
"I'm not sure that it's reasonable to assume that it's a starting point, because the starting point is what's directly in front of you. And I think your right to outline the history of it because that could be reintroduced ...
Towards the notification process, Councillor Cunningham observed of the last instance of the notification process there was some missed residencies which generated some of the controversy.
Noting that similar issues had been found with other variance applications.
With the councillor observing that he wants to ensure that in this instance, everyone gets their voice.
In reply the City Manager outlined how the City would approach the notification process.
"We will ensure that the notices are sent out as required by the Act.
It's not possible to guarantee that everyobody will actually open their mail and look at it.
Sometimes they do throw them out, they may be away on holidays, they may be away for business those are things that we have no control over.
Our obligation is to follow the notification procedures as per the legislation an we will ensure that is done. -- City Manager Rob Buchan
The discussion towards the proposed development can be reviewed through the City's video archive starting at the 13 minute mark.
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