Roof canopies on a condo project in Powell River’s Grief Point are a little too close to the road.
But the city is giving some leeway.
City council granted what’s called an air easement for the Pacific Point Condominiums at Joyce Avenue and Tofino Street during its July 2 meeting.
The problem was discovered by a land surveyor preparing the strata plan for registration.
Planning Director Jason Gow says encroachments are common like on Marine Avenue but the process is a little more complicated when a strata is involved.
City council also had to agree to create land title to a portion of the roadways because roads typically don’t have a title and under the Strata Property Act an easement has to be registered on title.
The overhangs won’t affect people on the sidewalk as they are 3 meters (9 feet, 10 inches) above the ground at the lowest point and 5.7 meters (18 feet, 8 inches) at the highest.
Councillor George Doubt says the encroachment is very small.
“There’s a very small encroachment over the top of the sidewalks, are taller than anybody is going to reach up and touch. I don’t think it’s going to reduce the ability of the city to use the sidewalks and it’s going to add another attractive building to the city,” Doubt said.
The mixed use development with 23 residential units on the upper three floors and 5,500 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor is still under construction.
The development permit application was submitted in 2017 and was issued in 2021.
The developer is paying for all hard costs associated with the easement.
