By Sebastian Kanally, Times Chronicle
Safety concerns around a retaining wall prompted the Town of Oliver to notify the owner of their need to fix it.
The property at 841 Bing Avenue constructed a retaining wall between 1.8 metres (six feet) and 2.4 meters (eight feet) high. The wall is holding backfill from spilling onto the adjacent property below.
The town has no record of any permits to build a retaining wall. An engineer was commissioned by the lower property to assess the condition of the retaining wall who identified several structural concerns.
The wall is out of plumb and is leaning to the east by 12.7 cm (5 inches) to 17.8 cm (7 inches). There are also several visible cracks on the face of the wall. The engineers report also noted that part of the wall’s footing is exposed, which results in no frost protection and no preventive support for the wall slipping downhill.
A photo of the retaining wall showing it bowing at the top towards the lower property.
Town of Oliver photo.
“Safety is a concern. In our opinion, the structural integrity of the retaining wall is compromised. We recommend further action by the owner of the retaining wall be taken to ensure safety of the neighbouring property,” the engineer’s report concludes.
The town decided at their October 28 council meeting that the owner will be notified about this so that they can find their own solution.
The town also decided to draft a report to bring back to council in four to six weeks to place a notice on title on the property if there is no action taken.
Council did not have much discussion on the topic, but councillor David Mattes did comment that “I think it’s only fair to give the homeowner an opportunity to take action before we register anything against the title.”
The owner will receive notification of their need to fix the problem, which will also include the engineers report. They will also receive the municipal permit requirements, such as the need for a building permit for any wall greater than 1.2 m in height.
