Council delays passing bylaw

City of Cranbrook council and administration had already read enough about concerns of a proposed amendment bylaw to pull it from the agenda– before even hearing from five city business owners at a Jan. 21 public hearing.

If passed, proposed amendment Bylaw No. 3762 would clarify/define a few land uses that are permissible in certain city zones.

The aspect of the proposed amendments that brought people out to the public hearing at City Hall was a limit to the number (six) of shipping containers allowed for storage purposes (sea-cans) in the M-3 (Heavy Industrial and Transportation) and P-3 (Public Utility Zone) zones only.

The business owners, including one who sells sea-cans in the city, addressed council expressing concerns.
Leading the charge was Bridge Interiors owner Ken Bridge, who uses a sea-can at the back of his business for storage.

“It provides reasonably priced storage,” he said, noting it would have to clear “numerous hoops” and it would cost “thousands of dollars” if he had to build a storage shed or facility as a replacement.

“I don’t know if council is pro or anti-business. What is the idea of getting rid of sea-cans?” He questioned, adding that if council forces businesses to spend more money to do the same business, it would take away from what “can be given back” through corporate philanthropy.

Community donations “have to come from somewhere,” he said. “We put a lot back into this community because the community is what keeps us going.”

Bridge furthered that he didn’t think sea-cans were an eyesore.

“Unless you are looking for them – you don’t really see them,” he said, adding he found it “outrageous” that he had to lose family time to make his point to council.

City chief administrative officer Wayne Staudt explained the housekeeping required concerning the suggested restriction in the bylaw has roots dating back to 2008.

“Given the information we have received in the last couple of days” city staff has recommended to council that the bylaw be revisited and that is why it was removed from the agenda. New research is required, he added.

“Uses change over time,” said Coun. Bob Whetham. “The discussion we need to have now is how and where we should have them (sea-cans) I can see the merit in having them.”

Cranbrook Mister Tire owner Glen Lynn told council he started using sea-cans 15 years ago and hundreds of city residents and customers benefit from them as 2,288 tires are stored in the eight containers he has on site.

“It is a convenience we’ve offered for years and we don’t charge a dime for that service,” he said, echoing Ken Bridge in his concerns about having to build similar storage. “I wouldn’t even want to guess,” he said of the cost.

Cranbrook resident Miles Chisholm told council he is likely the largest supplier of sea-cans in the city, estimating he dispenses about 300 a year in the city and surrounding area. He said there are roughly 1,500 sea-cans in the area “and nobody knows they are there.”

Chisholm estimated that 50% of businesses in the city use sea-cans.

Coun. Denise Pallesen admitted she had “no idea that there were that many around.”

Chisholm also told council he is in the throes of converting a sea-can into an insulated shelter for city bus drivers to use when they are waiting for their buses to warm up.

Top Crop Garden, Farm and Pet owner Greg Fisher concurred with Chisholm that the sea-cans do not stand out. He said he has eight on his 5.5 acres and they “are for the most part hidden. He encouraged council to consider the size of properties in relation to the number of sea-cans allowed, when further considering the bylaw.

Following the hearing council unanimously agreed to pull the bylaw from the agenda, opting to delay giving it the proposed third reading and adoption based on information received at the hearing and in letters to the city.

The proposed amendment bylaw would also allow for the addition of “gasoline service station and gas bar” to the C-2 zone (Highway Commercial zone) as permissible uses.

It would also add “pre-school” to the definition of ‘group day care’ and clear up other typographical errors in Cranbrook Zoning Bylaw No. 3737, 2012.

Read more about the bylaw at:

https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=2761

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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