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Sea-can users speak out at hearing
Council delays passing bylaw
City of Cranbrook council and administration had already read enough about concerns of a proposed amendment bylaw to pull it from the agendaā before even hearing from five city business owners at a Jan. 21 public hearing.
If passed, proposed amendment Bylaw No. 3762 would clarify/define a few land uses that are permissible in certain city zones.
The aspect of the proposed amendments that brought people out to the public hearing at City Hall was a limit to the number (six) of shipping containers allowed for storage purposes (sea-cans) in the M-3 (Heavy Industrial and Transportation) and P-3 (Public Utility Zone) zones only.
The business owners, including one who sells sea-cans in the city, addressed council expressing concerns.
Leading the charge was Bridge Interiors owner Ken Bridge, who uses a sea-can at the back of his business for storage.
āIt provides reasonably priced storage,ā he said, noting it would have to clear ānumerous hoopsā and it would cost āthousands of dollarsā if he had to build a storage shed or facility as a replacement.
āI donāt know if council is pro or anti-business. What is the idea of getting rid of sea-cans?ā He questioned, adding that if council forces businesses to spend more money to do the same business, it would take away from what ācan be given backā through corporate philanthropy.
Community donations āhave to come from somewhere,ā he said. āWe put a lot back into this community because the community is what keeps us going.ā
Bridge furthered that he didnāt think sea-cans were an eyesore.
āUnless you are looking for them ā you donāt really see them,ā he said, adding he found it āoutrageousā that he had to lose family time to make his point to council.
City chief administrative officer Wayne Staudt explained the housekeeping required concerning the suggested restriction in the bylaw has roots dating back to 2008.
āGiven the information we have received in the last couple of daysā city staff has recommended to council that the bylaw be revisited and that is why it was removed from the agenda. New research is required, he added.
āUses change over time,ā said Coun. Bob Whetham. āThe discussion we need to have now is how and where we should have them (sea-cans) I can see the merit in having them.ā
Cranbrook Mister Tire owner Glen Lynn told council he started using sea-cans 15 years ago and hundreds of city residents and customers benefit from them as 2,288 tires are stored in the eight containers he has on site.
āIt is a convenience weāve offered for years and we donāt charge a dime for that service,ā he said, echoing Ken Bridge in his concerns about having to build similar storage. āI wouldnāt even want to guess,ā he said of the cost.
Cranbrook resident Miles Chisholm told council he is likely the largest supplier of sea-cans in the city, estimating he dispenses about 300 a year in the city and surrounding area. He said there are roughly 1,500 sea-cans in the area āand nobody knows they are there.ā
Chisholm estimated that 50% of businesses in the city use sea-cans.
Coun. Denise Pallesen admitted she had āno idea that there were that many around.ā
Chisholm also told council he is in the throes of converting a sea-can into an insulated shelter for city bus drivers to use when they are waiting for their buses to warm up.
Top Crop Garden, Farm and Pet owner Greg Fisher concurred with Chisholm that the sea-cans do not stand out. He said he has eight on his 5.5 acres and they āare for the most part hidden. He encouraged council to consider the size of properties in relation to the number of sea-cans allowed, when further considering the bylaw.
Following the hearing council unanimously agreed to pull the bylaw from the agenda, opting to delay giving it the proposed third reading and adoption based on information received at the hearing and in letters to the city.
The proposed amendment bylaw would also allow for the addition of āgasoline service station and gas barā to the C-2 zone (Highway Commercial zone) as permissible uses.
It would also add āpre-schoolā to the definition of āgroup day careā and clear up other typographical errors in Cranbrook Zoning Bylaw No. 3737, 2012.
Read more about the bylaw at:
https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=2761
Ian Cobb/e-KNOW