A land owner with a fire truck and pot dispensary on his property is being taken to court by the District of Lantzville.
The municipality filed a petition to the Supreme Court of British Columbia, arguing that Stanley Edward Pottie, the owner of property at 7890 Clark Drive West, continues to violate numerous zoning, building and traffic bylaws.
According to court documents, the district claims that Pottie, who is listed as a resident of Nanaimo, breached Regional District of Nanaimo bylaws when he either built or placed two trailers and two deck structures on his property without a building permit and occupancy permit.
The District of Lantzville alleges that Pottie has been operating a recreational vehicle park, a resort vehicle park, a campground and/or a recreational vehicle storage facility on his property and that there is more than one dwelling on the property. The district also believes Pottie removed a “do not occupy” sign from a trailer without the permission of the chief building inspector.
By permitting a pickup truck and a fire truck to be stored on Clark Drive West, Pottie violated a traffic bylaw and encroaches on Highway 19, according to the district, which also argues that four recreational vehicles and a wood shed are on a road right-of-way.
In a response to the petition filed earlier this month, Pottie wrote that he “was never advised of my rights,” argued that the district has “no legal basis for this action” and added that pictures and information were gathered without permission of access to his property.
Ronald Campbell, Lantzville’s chief administrative officer, said he could not comment on the case specifically, but did confirm that the property involved is the site of a marijuana dispensary.
Although the property is located in Lantzville, the Regional District of Nanaimo is responsible for bylaw enforcement.
Lantzville is seeking that the land owner remove his trailers, two deck structures, wood shed and all vehicles and that he stop using his property as a campground or vehicle park or storage facility. The municipality is also seeking to have Pottie pay all its legal fees.
nicholas.pescod@nanaimobulletin.com
