Keith McNeill
Town council approved a development permit for a property on Eden Road during its meeting on June 6, despite some reservations from councillors and Alex Krause, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District manager of planning services.
During its May 16 meeting, council had requested revisions to the proposed site plan to comply with zoning and ensure safer access.
The primary problem appeared to be that the plan would allow parking directly off of Eden Road, meaning people could back out into traffic when leaving.
In response to the request the developer provided a rough sketch map showing a narrower access onto Eden Road.
“Typically, a drawing like this is not adequate for a development permit,” Krause said, noting that it was not to scale and that some items might need to be adjusted (to ensure vehicles would have enough room to turn around, for example).
Councillors Merlin Blackwell and Gord Heisterman said they also had issues with the drawing.
The applicant proposes to build a three-storey with a gross floor area of 2,000 sq. ft. There would be commerccial space on the two lower levels and a motel suite on the third level.
Land clearing and excavation of the site have already started.
Health facility gets third reading
Only one nearby resident voiced concerns during a public hearing on June 6 about a proposed community care and/or complex care facility in Clearwater.
Following the hearing, town council gave third reading to zoning and official community plan (OCP) amendments that would allow construction of a community care and/or complex care facility next to Highway 5 east of the roundabout.
The proposal from local businessman Ron Rotzetter now goes to government agencies for further comment before returning to council for final approval.
The nearby resident, Ray Jackson, told council that he thought the OCP got it right when it defined the area as residential. There are two nearby schools and other services for families, he pointed out. Allowing some of it to be zoned institutional would be a mistake, he felt.
Allowing more development along the highway does nothing for the rest of the town, Jackson said.