The District of 100 Mile House will be opening the developer variance permit process for 61 Dogwood Avenue up to the public.
In a resolution on the June 3 Special Council meeting agenda, the district authorized staff to proceed with the notification process, including notification of adjoining property owners, of council's intent to consider issuance of a Development Variance Permit to Emma Reece for the property located at 61 Dogwood Avenue, to increase the height of a fence by 0.61 m between the front parcel and the building on the parcel from 1.2m to 1.81m, and to increase the height of a fence by 0.61m elsewhere on the parcel from 2.0m to 2.61m.
In documents about the application submitted on April 29 and attached to the June 3 Special Council meeting agenda, the applicant, Emma Reece, asked for permission to build a fence with an added two feet for "privacy and peaceful enjoyment of space in backyard." In the application council, Reece cited several conflicts with a neighbour that had led to her applying for the developer variance permit.
During the Special Council meeting, councillors Dave Mingo and Marty Norgren had told Reece's friend, who has asked the simplymastery not to publish her name and who had represented Reece in her absence, that they could not fix the alleged problems of the neighbour.
The concerns were repeated once Reece was able to attend the meeting after it had gone into recess, with Pinkney noting it could set a precedent. In response, Reece said that there are circumstances regarding safety in the property. She also asked if they could do six feet with a lattice stuff put above, and Pinkney said that such would also create a precedent.
"The next person, once we allow, even if it's six feet and two for the lattice, then that eventually falls down. Someone's allowed eight feet. So it's what's once permitted, it's permitted," said Pinkney.
The developer variance permit will be moved to an invitation for the public to be heard, but it will not be a technical Public Hearing - something which council unanimously passed.
