qathet Regional District board will consider advising the Texada Airport Advisory Committee that there is further development potential for an additional 610 square metres of hangar expansion at Texada Island Airport.
At the January 28 planning committee meeting, directors considered a recommendation pertaining to the airport advisory committee requesting that the regional board remove obstacles to hangar expansion at the airport. According to a staff report, existing hangars and proposed hangar expansion are within the Cranby Lake community watershed and affected by the Texada community watershed zoning bylaw, as well as the airport being within the agricultural land reserve.
Under the bylaw, the maximum combined total floor areas for accessory buildings and structures at the airport is restricted to 2,500 square metres. The total floor area of existing structures at the airport is 1,890 metres, meaning there is allowance for 610 metres of hangar expansion, according to the bylaw.
Electoral Area D (Texada) director Sandy McCormick said the advisory committee has reported previously that there is quite a waiting list to get hangar space at the airport. She said the report was welcome information and that she was not sure how many square metres a hangar occupies, so she’s not sure how many more hangars would fit into 610 square metres.
“At least it’s a good starting point,” said McCormick. “When those sites are developed, there will be additional revenue for the regional district, so there is a benefit to us to seeing this go ahead.”
Electoral Area A director and committee chair Jason Lennox said he also wondered how many hangars would fit into 610 square metres.
“How many does that give us?” asked Lennox.
General manager of planning services Laura Roddan said on average, hangars are just over 100 square metres, so 610 square metres would allow for five more hangars.
Lennox asked about the income to the regional district from the hangars.
General manager of operational services Patrick Devereaux said he would have to look up that data. He said charges are based on square footage of the hangar, which varies from about 360 square metres to about 100 square metres.
“It’s based on the footprint,” said Devereaux. “I can get the information to you.”
The committee voted unanimously to recommend the regional board send correspondence to the Texada Airport Advisory Committee informing there is currently development potential for another 610 square metres of hangar expansion.
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