City of Powell River Council has voted to provide a development variance permit for BC Wildfire Service at Powell River Airport to relax setbacks for a new modular building.
At the November 2 city council meeting, councillors voted unanimously for the development variance permit, which relaxes the minimum side yard setback from three metres to 0.39 metres from the southern side lot line and from three metres to 2.07 metres from the northern side lot line.
Councillor Rob Southcott said this is simply to facilitate expansion of BC Wildfire’s operations and to put in what is essentially a temporary building that will be a garage for them at the airport.
“To accommodate that, they want to vary the setbacks, which are between the two pieces of land that they will lease,” said Southcott. “In my view, it’s pretty inconsequential to the city in general and can be remediated pretty easily if needed in the future.”
According to a staff report, BC Wildfire Service has secured a new lease area within the city’s airport lands adjacent to the existing lease area, with the intent of expanding the coastal fire centre operations in Powell River.
The report stated that the existing wildfire command centre currently consists of an office building with attached storage and vehicle service bays, initially approved along with complementary landscaping and fencing through a 2007 development permit process. The development plan for the new lease area includes the placement of a triple-wide trailer surrounded by gravel parking areas and chain link security fencing, according to the report.
BC Wildfire Service is proposing the new modular unit to provide office space for fire base support staff and vehicles and equipment that may be mobilized to Powell River in the event of a coastal wildfire emergency, according to the staff report.
