Has the building permit been issued yet? How long are the development permits valid? And what happens if they expire?
(By news desk)
The building permit for The George has not yet been issued.
Although the town’s website says the building permit is “ready to be issued once the developer decides to proceed,” legal counsel for the town and the developer are still working to complete the final terms of the land-exchange agreement that will allow for the closure of Winn Road in exchange for a public plaza, chief administrative officer Emanuel Machado said in an email to The Coast Clarion.
The road-closure bylaw for Winn Road in exchange for the plaza was adopted in July 2017 but covenants and statutory right-of-ways have not yet been registered. Machado expects the details to be worked out within a few weeks.
To obtain a building permit, a fee based on projected construction costs needs to be paid. The figure for The George permit is unknown because the developer needs to update that information, Machado said.
The design of the off-site works has been approved. They include a new sewer line and pedestrian walkway from Winegarden Park to Prowse Road, a financial contribution towards the upgrade of the sewer lift station, the replacement of a water line on Gower Point Road including pavement and sidewalk, the plaza, and improvements to Winegarden Park.
The total required payment for the improvements is as yet unknown, Machado said. The figure for the development cost charges, originally set at $1.4 million, needs to be updated.
The development permits are valid for two years and three of the four will expire this summer, Machado confirmed. The environmentally sensitive areas development permit (DPA2) and the aquifer protection development permit (DPA9) were issued on August 1, 2017 and the geotechnical hazard development permit (DPA1) on August 8, 2017.
These types of development permits expire if the work has not started within two years, Machado says, but the developer can apply for new permits. “Staff would request that the developer’s civil engineers, architects and other consultants who submitted reports on behalf of the owner confirm that the information submitted originally has not changed, that the scope of work remains unchanged, and that any recommendations are still valid, in which case new permits could be issued.”
The development permit for form and character (DPA5) was originally issued in June 2016. The former council renewed it in May 2018.
The building permit, the development permits and the conditions associated with those permits, like the closure of Winn Road and the reconstruction of Winegarden Park, can be transferred to a new owner if the developer were to sell the property, Machado confirmed.
Developer Klaus Fuerniss told The Coast Clarion he had no comment at this time.
In light of the tragic events with sink holes in the sechelt sea watch development our town would be wise to ask all engineers on this project for updated reports and guarantees of proof of adequate insurance before issuing the permits. The district of sechelt knew of the risk of sink holes but still issued building permits relying on the developer’s engineers to rectify the risk. Now what? Who pays?
Gibsons is relying on the developer’s engineers in the exact same way. The town of Gibson’s has admitted this project is a risk but in reality it could be catastrophic. We should make use of this delay for more due diligence.
I spent 3 hours helping the last resident to pack at Seawatch on Valentines day. What a day that was. Their house is right beside the newest sinkhole . Truly heartbreaking even if you do not know them personally. Many thanks to IGA for all the food they brought and Starbucks for the coffee. With our new council in Sechelt we may have another disaster looming due to a 6 vote to allow apartments to be built on a very steep terrain which is 60% in some places and the OCP does not advice for 30% slopes. Seems they have not learned a lesson from Seawatch.