City of Powell River Council has approved a development variance permit to relax a setback to facilitate installation of a triple-wide trailer in the BC Wildfire Service lease area at Powell River Airport.
At the May 8 council meeting, Jaason Gow, city director of planning services, said the purpose of his report was to present a permit that proposes to vary a setback requirement to facilitate installation of the trailer.
“We’re talking about an area of land in and around the airport on Empress Way,” said Gow. “On this development, in 2023, the BC Wildfire Service secured a new lease area adjacent to its firebase, with the intention of expanding its operations to include a new crew facility and parking area.
“As part of planned expansion, a development variance permit was submitted by the wildfire service to relax side setback requirements to accommodate the placement of that triple-wide trailer. The applicant’s plans have changed and the development includes three new sets of stairs as part of the design.”
Gow said based on diagrams submitted to the planning department, one of the proposed stairs will project beyond the setback and across the property boundary, meaning the stairs will encroach onto the adjacent lot, also leased by the wildfire service.
“Considering the applicant’s desire to construct a set of stairs that will project onto the adjacent lot, council is being asked to consider relaxation of the side setback requirement, for both affected lots,” said Gow. “More specifically, the variance being sought is to permit a setback along the shared boundary to permit the construction of the proposed stairs.
“Staff supports the variance, but recommends the registration of a covenant on title for both lease areas that would require the wildfire service to remove all structures and encumbrances from any setback area should wildfire services dispose of either lease. This would ensure any future leaseholder would not be impacted by the encroachment imposed by this application.”
City councillor Cindy Elliott asked if the variance would create an impediment for firefighters should the buildings catch fire.
Gow said it had been referred out to all city departments and he didn’t hear anything back from the fire service. Council unanimously supported the variance.
Join the Peak's email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
