A developer has asked City of Powell River councillors why approvals for his property under development at 5201 Manson Avenue haven’t been approved.
At the July 9 committee of the whole meeting, during question period, Alan Rebane said he had been turned down as a delegation at a previous meeting. He asked who made the decision to strike his rights as a delegation.
Deputy corporate officer Jessica Lefort said she apologized if that was a mistake. She understood that the email was being submitted as correspondence, so she thought Rebane had changed his mind to enter it as correspondence instead of appearing as a delegation.
Rebane said he had put together the correspondence with great thought.
“I’m kind of at a loss here,” said Rebane. “I put in an application [for subdivision] on January 2. I actually talked to the planning department in December and here I am, I still don’t have anything going through that is going to make a difference. My development permit has been stalled. I’ve paid big money for it. The planning department is just stalling me and it has been for quite a while.”
City councillor Trina Isakson called a point of order, indicating that it was question period. Councillor and committee chair Cindy Elliott said councillors were hoping Rebane could get to a question.
Rebane said he asked a number of questions in his correspondence that have not been answered and he has brought the matter up many times.
“I’m spending a lot of money in this town,” said Rebane. “I don’t need to ask questions. This is question period and I’m voicing my opinion. My opinion is that someone in your staff is stalling everything.
“I am making community contributions that I don’t even have to make. I have to get a lawyer from outside of town to do those covenants. Why isn’t the development permit going through at the same time? There is no reason the development permit should be held up.”
Rebane said he was posting a $185,000 bond for a sidewalk that goes nowhere. He said he was asking council to start looking into some things.
“I don’t know where to go,” added Rebane. “I’m intimidated when I walk in this building.”
Rebane said at the previous committee of the whole meeting, council heard from three delegations, none of which are bringing money into the community.
“I’m bringing income,” said Rebane. “I’m bringing millions of dollars of investment and you just ignore me. Why am I being held off?”
Elliott thanked Rebane for his questions. She said many of them reside with the planning department and the director in charge of those decisions.
“Council doesn’t have a role in many of those decisions,” said Elliott. “Does staff have anything to add to that?”
Chief administrative officer Lisa Bhopalsingh said the planning department follows a process. She said there are times when they do not get complete documentation applications. She added that she could not speak specifically to this process but she has observed that the planning department follows due process and there are times when applicants may not have met the requirements to move their applications forward.
“I would also like to state I’ve only met Mr. Rebane once and I take umbrage with the fact he’s made the statements that myself and others are intimidating,” said Bhopalsingh. “I made it very clear that I expect reasonable and decent behaviour towards staff in terms of maintaining a safe working environment. I am very clear about that.”
In his correspondence, Rebane stated that he was asking council to consider fourth reading and final adoption of his application.
“All the conditions will or have been met,” stated Rebane. “I also ask council to have a special council meeting to meet in regard to the development permit and resolve the balance of the issues as quickly as possible, and to authorize or direct staff to issue a foundation permit for the larger block of land based on building permit status.”
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