Mobile home park owners in Lac La Hache hope a 26-year-old fencing requirement can be removed from the covenant for the property.
One aspect of the covenant stipulated a six-foot-high solid cedar board fence was required along the property where it abuts the cemetery and a five-foot-high cedar board fence was required along the south boundary.
Wade Balbirnie said part of the reason he asking for an amendment to the covenant is because he was approached by the cemetery committee after they received a grant to replace the fence around the cemetery.
“In order for the cemetery committee to replace it with a chain link fence, I have to go through this amendment process. That’s how we ended up here,” he told the CRD board Friday, March 1 during its regular meeting where the request was being considered. “Part of the process was the regional district assisted the cemetery committee with getting the grant.”
He said the fencing requirement needs to be changed because it is difficult to get cedar anymore and the bulk of the fences along the McKinley side have been removed by the property owners.
“I’ve gone to put it back up and they’ve asked me not to,” Balbirnie said.
Back in 1998, the property underwent a rezoning application and part of its approval included a registered covenant.
Electoral Area G director Al Richmond was on the CRD board at the time and said a public hearing was held about the zoning bylaw amendment.
“The meeting was very well-attended and the conditions in the covenant were put on because people were concerned,” he recalled. “It was a hot public meeting and I am anticipating we will see how time has proved its worth.”
Balbirnie said they are well aware and are not doing the asking in a vacuum.
“We are not looking to change the world, just help out with the cemetery committee so they can do their best.”
He noted it makes sense in install a metal fence because of the maintenance and the cost around dealing with it.
Richmond recommended the covenant removal request go to a public meeting and the board endorsed the request unanimously.
A time and date for the public meeting has yet to be set.
Presently the park has 33 service pads, 24 are occupied. There are deposits on four more and Balbirnie said they put forth a request to add phase three in the summer which will add another 28 pads.
“Phase three will likely cost us in excess of half a million. We are hoping to break ground on the water and sewer this year and hopefully do the electrical next year.”
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