Prince Rupert city council approved the rezoning of the former Baptist Church on India Avenue to allow for the creation of a multi-unit executive housing development, but the decision was not without objection and concern from councillors and one nearby resident.
Plans from the 2G Group call for the church to be converted to 17 single occupancy suites aimed at housing industry executives related to industrial development. But that number of new accommodations in a residential area did not sit well with resident Tony Ferreira or Coun. Wade Niesh.
“Seventeen apartments is too much and we don’t need that in Prince Rupert … It is going to be built for rich people, not poor people and we need someone to build something for low income people,” said Ferreira.
“I like people to look at it from the perspective of it being the size of three residential lots so it wold be like if we took the three homes across the street, combined them and put 18 people in them. That is too many people … given the size of three average lots, with a restriction of two unites per residence, that would be a maximum of six units and he want 17,” said Niesh.
But Coun. Joy Thorkelson and Coun. Blair Mirau countered that the number was not only realistic but fit within the city’s plans for growth.
“We actually have six 25-foot lots at that location … we have been trying to develop housing options for 25 foot lot starter homes and if you had six starter homes with young families, you could easily have four people per household. That is more than the 17 people this would house,” said Thorkelson.
“The Official Community Plan calls for us to build within our own footprint … this would increase densification, and I know that is a concern to some, but it is within our community plan,” added Mirau.
The rezoning also found support for Prince Rupert realtor Emily Kawaguchi.
“There was great consideration by the applicant for the use of this property, which was a vacant church and will never be a church again … as a realtor, given the layout of the building and parking lot, my opinion is that this is the best use for the site,” she said.
Another objection of both Niesh and Ferreira was trusting that the units could be used by seniors. While Ferreira noted the rent would be too much for seniors to afford, Niesh said he didn’t believe the sincerity of the developer.
“Every time you talk to him he has a different story. That is not the kind of person the city should be doing business with … we have relied too much on what people have said they are going to do — ‘we’re going to get the pulp mill running again’ — and look where that has gotten us,” he said.
Mayor Lee Brain said he didn’t the 2G Group was lying to council as Niesh said, but said timing was more of a factor.
“The only thing I don’t agree with is that seniors will be living there while this is going on. I absolutely don’t think that is going to happen. I think there will be executives living there for four to six years while these projects are underway and seniors will move in after that when the rents will be lowered because the costs have been recovered,” he said, adding not proceeding could be a lost opportunity to increase the city’s tax roll.
“If we don’t go ahead with this, some camp will do it and then we won’t have that tax income.”
When it came to the vote, Coun. Niesh and Coun. Barry Cunningham voted to oppose the rezoning with councillors Nelson Kinney, Mirau, Gurvinder Randhawa and Joy Thorkelson voted in favour of proceeding.
Geoff Greenwell of the 2G Group said he was “very pleased” council adopted the rezoning, but took issue with some of the comments made by Coun. Niesh.
“His comments do not sit well with myself or my partners and I would suggest he speak with people in the community we do business with to hear about how we operate,” he said.
