Henry and Rose Chamulak once again made a plea to council, but it seems the town is going ahead with its plan to build a stormwater detention basin over the back fence of their Trio Lane home in Qualicum Beach.
Working with an engineer and contractor hired by the owners of the West Ridge development, town staff has made changes to the original design and moved the pond slightly away from the Chamulak property line.
Henry Chamulak told council on Monday he still believes his home is “at risk of flooding” because of the basin.
“Surely the town has the resources and expertise required to come up with a better solution,” he said. “I want assurances the facility is safe. Is it really worth it for the town to take the risk? I don’t think so.”
Other news from Qualicum beach town council’s regular meeting on Monday night:
• Two mobile vendors — food trucks — were given permission to operate on the waterfront this year.
For about $420 plus the cost of a business licence, Twisted Chips and A.A. Catering (Texas BBQ) were granted permission to operate. Twisted Chips will go beside the info centre and the Texas BBQ will operate by the Brant viewing area.
Neither business will be allowed to use an external generator to supply electricity. That won;t be an issue for Twisted Chips, with an outlet available at the info centre, but could pose problems for the Texas BBQ business at the Brant viewing area, where there is no available outlet.
A third business that wanted to sell flags and pennants on the beach, was denied a permit.
“It doesn’t really relate to the beach,” said Luke Sales, the town’s director of planning. “I have never, during a beach visit, thought about how much I wanted or needed a flag or pennant.”
• Sales, Mayor Teunis Westbroek and Coun. Dave Willie spent some time talking about the value of their recent trip to Windsor, Ont. for a Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference on sustainability, where the town collected an award.
Sales reported that the trip cost taxpayers $8,050.
• Council gave first reading to a bylaw that would allow backyard beekeeping in Qualicum Beach.
