Smooth sailing for building proposals in Summerland

Council meeting to consider 5 applications wraps up in less than 45 minutes

At its shortest meeting in years, Summerland council on Tuesday approved four development variance permits and one rezoning application.

The meeting concluded within 44 minutes, including eight minutes for media questions.

Each of the five matters was passed unanimously and without any objection from the public. No correspondence on any of the matters was sent to council.

Council allowed a development variance for 10805 Harris Rd. that will increase the allowable height for a retaining wall from 2.4 metres to 3.65 metres.

According to a staff report, the property owner’s engineers deemed the height to be insufficient to support and retain the fill adjacent to the district’s road right of way. It will reduce potential slope stability impacts on the road surface.

Council supported a request for an accessory structure to be placed in the front yard of a property at 5592 Steele St. The property is zoned country residential.

Staff supported the application due to the irregular shape of the lot, which limits the property owner’s options.

A side yard setback was approved for a lot at 2515 Johnson St. The lot, zoned country residential, will reduce its setback from 3.0 metres to 1.5 metres in order to accommodate a 600-square-foot addition to a house.

A reduction in the exterior side yard setback was approved for 4998 Weldon Ave. The setback will be trimmed from 4.5 metres to 3.0 metres. The applicant plans to build a single-family home on the large vacant lot.

Finally, property at 9918 Quinpool Rd., at the corner of Robson Crescent, will be subdivided into two lots. The owners plan to build a residential house on the new lot and rent the current home on the other. Zoned as a residential medium lot, the properties are within a five-minute walk to amenities, consistent with Summerland’s official community plan.

Each of the five motions passed 5-0. Mayor Peter Waterman and Coun. Doug Holmes were absent. Deputy mayor Erin Trainer chaired the meeting in Waterman’s absence.