Bill Atwood
Times-Chronicle
Osoyoos town council has unanimously approved a variance to the property zoning bylaw for a residential property despite receiving a letter in opposition to it.
The request was submitted in order to build a new single family home on 89th Street. Under zoning bylaw 1085 there must be a minimum setback from the front property line of six metres, but the requested variance reduces this to 4.5 metres.
The bylaw also requires town staff to give notice to all properties within 60 metres of the property in question prior to approval of a variance. This was done via hand-delivered letters on Nov. 3.
In response the town received a letter from one property owner which expressed concern over the (then) proposed changes.
“Eighty-Ninth Street is a main entrance to town and is also the first impression newcomers get when they arrive here,” the letter said.
The letter claimed that the street is behind on needed upgrades and should have a sidewalk on both sides. The resident was concerned there would not be enough room for a sidewalk.
“Please take into consideration the future of a walking combination bike lane on that side . . . I stand in opposition,” the resident wrote.
While Gina MacKay, director of planning and development, acknowledged the resident’s concerns before council, she explained that the variance would not impact road width or possibility of a sidewalk in the future.
“Council’s aware that that’s not the purpose of the variance. It’s to vary the setback on the private property,” said MacKay.
“Staff are supporting the requested variance, as it will not be noticeable, given the width of the dedicated road in that area in front of the subject property, and further that the requested variance is as per that allowable setback in the R-2 or single family residential small lot zone,” she said.
