By Timothy Schafer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A proposal to rezone a former North Shore school property for industrial use as a new manufacturing company has been denied by the regional district board after overwhelming resistance was received from the neighbourhood.
Valid Manufacturing had sought to change the Official Community Plan designation from institutional to industrial at the old School District No. 8 office site on Johnstone Road, and the zoning designation from institutional to a proposed new M7–industrial high tech zone, in order to enable office space for their engineering team and parts, and assembly related to electronics.
The operation would have employed around 40 people, including some of the people displaced two years ago by the closure of the Pacific Insight facility west of the city.
But the Regional District of Central Kootenay board of directors voted last week during their regular monthly meeting to approve a staff recommendation that no further action was to be taken on the bylaw to amend the Official Community Plan for Area F to allow the enterprise to exist.
“No further action” now means that the proponent is not allowed to bring any rezoning request to the board for six months, or even to make a whole new application.
Director Diana Lockwood (Salmo) said she was confused — despite the nearly unanimous board vote — by the neighbourhood’s opposition to the project.
“I’m just trying to figure out why people would...continued
For full article click HERE.
A proposal to rezone a former North Shore school property for industrial use as a new manufacturing company has been denied by the regional district board after overwhelming resistance was received from the neighbourhood.
Valid Manufacturing had sought to change the Official Community Plan designation from institutional to industrial at the old School District No. 8 office site on Johnstone Road, and the zoning designation from institutional to a proposed new M7–industrial high tech zone, in order to enable office space for their engineering team and parts, and assembly related to electronics.
The operation would have employed around 40 people, including some of the people displaced two years ago by the closure of the Pacific Insight facility west of the city.
But the Regional District of Central Kootenay board of directors voted last week during their regular monthly meeting to approve a staff recommendation that no further action was to be taken on the bylaw to amend the Official Community Plan for Area F to allow the enterprise to exist.
“No further action” now means that the proponent is not allowed to bring any rezoning request to the board for six months, or even to make a whole new application.
Director Diana Lockwood (Salmo) said she was confused — despite the nearly unanimous board vote — by the neighbourhood’s opposition to the project.
“I’m just trying to figure out why people would...continued
For full article click HERE.