POWELL RIVER, B.C. – A concerned resident will stand in front of Powell River’s committee of the whole next week to discuss the controversy over a local road.
On October 22nd 2018, the province’s Agricultural Land Commission issued an order. It stated that the City of Powell River was contravening provincial legislation on the use of the land in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), due to a section of road constructed along Hemlock Street.
The roadway is located off Timberlane Avenue, with a long curve at the bottom looping around to the other side of the neighbourhood. The long loop is the roadway at issue, as it been built onto ALR land.
The city has been ordered to remove the road and all-fill, re-mediate the property in and around the road to ensure the soil is similar or better to before the fill was brought in, and make an application to have the right of way removed.
The requirements of the remediation order have to be met by August 31st, 2019, unless the order is changed.
On January 15th, resident Pat Martin will present her concerns at a regular committee of the whole meeting, according to a notice on Facebook, describing the event.
“We need as many people as possible to attend so that we can show council that we are appalled with this situation, and we refuse to pay for any intentional or unintentional errors made in the development of the Hemlock Road property, that infringes onto ALR property,” read the notice, which was written by organizer Ian MacDonald.
“Understandably Pat wants to present to council in a style that keeps their minds open and receptive, any yelling out or cat calling will negatively impact this presentation. Please show your support in body only, as she only has some minutes in which to get her point across.”
The Tuesday, January 15th committee of the whole meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in council chambers.
-With files from James Wood
