A public hearing regarding 880 Guay Road has been postponed again.
The applicant is proposing to implement an industrial construction services company at the location.
This time, the public hearing made it before Prince George City Council at this week’s meeting, but it had to be cancelled part-way through as City Staff identified there was an error in the Bylaw.
“The [Official Community Plan] leaves that light industrial base, and rezoning over that with a use that’s inconsistent with the OCP is something that you can’t do,” said Manager of Legislative Services Ethan Anderson.
“We need to amend the bylaw, but unfortunately under legislation, you can’t amend the bylaw after the public hearing has been closed, therefore, we’re asking that the public hearing be closed, we amend the bylaw, and we have a new public hearing to deal with that.”
Anderson said the public hearing would take place at the next Council meeting, scheduled for February 24th.
This came after one resident had the opportunity to speak on the application.
“This is not just a matter of local zoning, this is an issue that could severely impact the safety, environment and quality of life for the residential properties of Guay Road,” the resident said.
“First and foremost, the road infrastructure in this area is critically inadequate, Guay Road particularly, at the intersection of Highway 16, is a disaster waiting to happen. It is far too narrow to accommodate large trucks, cranes, and other heavy equipment safely. The road lacks shoulders, which forces vehicles to drive dangerously close to the edge. The design of the intersection is flawed, unable to handle the volume or type of traffic proposed, and there are no traffic controls to manage the flow, making this an accident prone zone.”
She added the road’s steep grade will create hazardous conditions for trucks, increasing the chances of accidents. She also spoke on the environmental and noise pollution the site would create.
“From environmental and noise pollution from this proposed site, dirt and dust covering nearby homes, to light pollution that would affect residential properties directly below, the quality of life for local residents will be severely disrupted,” she explained.
She went on to say residents would accept the rezoning proposal if certain conditions were met, including decommissioning of the existing access and construction of a new access, reclamation of the old site, with noise reducing measures, and full enforcement of existing nuisance bylaws.
“We are not opposed to development, but we are opposed to reckless, unchecked growth that puts the lives of residents, the environment, and our community’s future at risk,” she said.
After the resident finished speaking, Anderson asked Mayor Simon Yu for a brief recess, and following the recess, he explained the issue with the bylaw.
This is the third time the public hearing for the proposal has been postponed.
In December, the City cancelled the public hearing due to the Canada Post strike, stating they were unable to confirm delivery of notices through the alternative methods they used for delivery.
In January, the hearing was cancelled after the applicant did not update signage on the property to reflect the new date of the public hearing.
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