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Volume 60 No. 29
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www.northernsentinel.com
Residents rally against townhomes Cameron Orr Many residents of Margetts Street have rallied against a proposal to build a town house complex along Kingfisher Avenue near the golf course. The development would pit three-storey townhomes against Margetts residents’ backyards, and a list of potential problems and concerns were put on council’s lap at their July 7 meeting. The presentation by residents came as council re-entertained a zoning application by the property developer to allow an extra 14 units over the existing allowable 40. Council had struck down the application which typically creates a six month buffer before an applicant can return on the same issue, but the Community Charter does give a mayor the ability to bring an item up within 30 days. Speaking on behalf of 10 homes listed on his submission to council was Margetts resident Leland Harris. Harris’s backyard is among those most likely impacted by the development. His home backs on to the green space where town houses may be built. Among Harris’ presentation, he said the current proposal “feels more like a camp” than a neighbourhood asset, his document said, and also the promise of a donation of park land to the District from the site is not that generous as the land is unsuitable for building and may effectively translate to a tax break for the developer. On a larger scale, he said there is still uncertainty that LNG proposals will build in Kitimat and even if they do the town may not see its population back to its peak of approximately 14,000 people. The town, he said. could be left with a glut of empty townhomes from an overbuild. Ideally he said the town should develop complexes already built and left to decay before allowing new construction. He specifically pointed to the Alexander townhouses. The eventual debate on the motion to restart the process on the zon-
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Northern ing amendment had Phil Germuth clearly pitted against other councillors, with him saying that the council is appearing weak by entertaining the issue a second time without allowing the prescribed six month waiting period. Germuth actually wanted to have the zoning recommendations tabled but councillors opted to discuss the matter before entertaining a motion, which eventually became Feldhoff’s motion to give first and second readings. “This developer has not acted in good faith with the community. We already negated this, we really owe this developer nothing at this time. They made the residents feel disrespected, they completely ignored council,” said Germuth, noting the developer had promised community consultation which did not occur until after councillors defeated the initial application. “What kind of message are we sending to every other developer out there at this time in Kitimat’s history? This is our best time when we actually have the leverage to do things right. And we’re going out there and saying ‘oh, in Kitimat, no doesn’t mean no.’” Feldhoff in moving the motion said there were enough changes to the application that he felt comfortable putting it back on the table. “I believe that in this particular case the changes proposed by the developer are substantive in nature and warrant proceeding with a new process, prior to waiting the six month period,” he said. As set out in staff’s report to council, the seemingly biggest change in this new application is that one town house building at the property’s southern edge would now become a two-storey rather than three structure, a change made to reflect neighbourhood concerns. Edwin Empinado said he was in favour as the motion puts into process a community discussion. Site proponent Stuart McFadden was unavailable for comment on this article due to being away on holidays.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
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1.30 INCLUDES TAX
Five-year-old Ethan Fairbrother decided he didn’t need any more gifts and put out the word that he’d rather his friends bring food, treats, supplies or donations to the Kitimat Humane Society, instead of giving him presents for turning five on June 27. As you can see he raised a bunch of much-appreciated supplies for the animal shelter along with $75 in cash. Submitted
Land issues may hold up LNG pipelines This would have an affect on the Josh Massey ability of three proposed pipelines The Gitxsan First Nation has “The proceed in their area including vowed to block any natural gas pipe[federal and to the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission line construction on their territory unprovincial] project by TransCanada, Westcoast less certain title rights are acknowledged by the government for an area crowns refuse Connector project by Spectra Energy and the Pacific Northern Gas looping of disputed land. to abide by project. Kitsumkalum and Kitselas First “The [federal and provincial] Nations approved land claims agree- the rulings of crowns refuse to abide by the rulings ments in principle with the federal and B.C. courts.” of B.C. courts that the Gitxsan have provincial governments last spring, strong prima facie rights and good paving the way for final treaty negoprima facie title to these lands since contact in tiations. This would grant them ownership to tracts of 1846,” says a media release from the Office of the land extending east of Terrace, towards the Gitx- Gitxsan Hereditary Chiefs. “There are several parcels of land that are san traditional territory, but the Gitxsan argue that part of the land contained in those agreements within Gitxsan traditional territory,” said Gitxsan in principle to form part of the eventual Kitsum- negotiator Bev Clifton Percival in an interview, kalum and Kitselas final treaties is in fact theirs adding that court decisions over the past several decades upheld Gitxsan rights to the disputed and want it recognized as such. To leverage their claim, the Gitxsan now say area. The area includes two rivers near Gitsegukla they want no further work done on planned natural gas pipelines that would pass through their ter- and Kitwanga and land used by 3,000 people, she ritory toward planned liquefied natural gas plants said. around Prince Rupert and at Kitimat. Continued on page 2
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Short story winner’s piece printed ... page 5