City of Powell River staff have been directed to draft a bylaw to support the conservation of designated heritage assets.
At the October 17 committee of the whole meeting, planner Hugo Wu appeared before the committee to obtain direction from councillors to proceed with preparation of a heritage procedures bylaw to facilitate the conservation of heritage property.
“The reason for this is while the city has objectives and policies in place for heritage conservation, the city currently does not have a procedures bylaw to address development applications with respect to heritage,” said Wu.
He added that there are no procedures to facilitate heritage conservation.
Wu said the intention of the bylaw would be to have a clearly defined and consistent procedures for city staff, council and potential applicants to be mindful of when considering a heritage application.
Wu said when the history of Powell River is considered, much of it is connected to its founding as a single-industry pulp and paper mill community.
“This is most evident in the Townsite neighbourhood area, which is the site of the paper mill, but also the location of many of the city’s first homes, buildings and structures,” said Wu. “Many of these properties remain standing and the Townsite’s historic boundaries remain intact. Today, we have approximately 400 original buildings that remain standing in the area, and 97 per cent of the buildings and structures in the area were constructed before the 1940s.
“These buildings and their connection to the history of Powell River are the source of immense local pride for a lot of people. Recognition of Townsite for its historical significance extends to the provincial and national level, when in 1995, Townsite received designation of a natural historic district. If I understand it, it remains the first such district in BC, and the only such district in Western Canada.”
Since then, a number of properties have received historical recognition, said Wu, and nine properties are listed in the community heritage register, six of which have received heritage designation.
Wu said a city heritage procedures bylaw would delegate the duties and responsibilities and powers of city council to facilitate conservation.
“A heritage procedures bylaw will also contain language to govern the different procedures and legal tools by which the city can begin heritage conservation,” said Wu. “There will also be language in there that provides property owners with a very clear pathway if they want their property legally protected and/or listed in the heritage exchange.
“It’s important to know if we were to proceed with the drafting of a bylaw, it would only concern or have an impact on existing protected heritage properties in the city. The legal basis by which we are able to consider heritage conservation can be found in part 15 of the Local Government Act.”
Further steps
City councillor Earl Almeida said he was in favour of the bylaw. He asked how this would impact heritage protection as the city moves toward a new official community plan. He also asked if there was an appetite to take this a step further into a community-based heritage commission to continue and expand on heritage.
“Other historic communities in our province have such commissions,” said Almeida. “I’m wondering if we need to take that step as well.”
Wu said the drafting of a heritage procedures bylaw would not establish such a commission, however, if a decision is made to draft such a bylaw, it would not preclude the establishment of a heritage commission.
“If it’s the desire and intention of council to direct staff to look into that further, that is something that we can do,” said Wu.
Regarding the official community plan ramifications, Wu said that is something that can be looked into.
Councillor Jim Palm said the heritage components of the city are a jewel. He asked about vacant land and buildings going up in the designated area, if there were any heritage specifications that they have to follow. Wu said he would follow up with a response.
Mayor Ron Woznow said the Townsite has the national heritage designation. He asked if the proposal put forward by staff could affect that designation.
Wu said as far as he was aware, proposed changes would not have an effect on the national historical designation.
The committee voted to direct staff to draft a heritage procedures bylaw to support the conservation of designated heritage assets. The motion carried unanimously.
Almeida then brought forward a motion to establish a heritage commission. Councillor George Doubt said he’d like to have information from staff about a heritage commission, such as what its powers might be and the costs associated with it, plus the impact on people with properties in heritage areas.
Councillors were told it could be part of the official community plan process. The motion failed.
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