District of Kent Council grants temporary permit to operation that employs about 40, supports local students

AGASSIZ – The District of Kent will allow two companies to continue their operations at their current site after council voted in support of a one-year temporary use permit this past week.

According to a recap from the District of Kent, Council received a delegation on Monday, May 11 from the representative of the property owner of 2062 Lougheed Highway toward a temporary use permit to allow Maharg Contracting and Senica Logging to continue operations in the short term while they find a suitable solution in a new location.

The delegation told district council members that the business has been operating in that location since 2000 and acknowledged that their non-compliant use was recently brought to the district’s attention. To support their request for a temporary use permit, the delegation said their companies support other local businesses, employ approximately 40 people including students graduating from the welding program. The delegate expressed a willingness to make additional changes to further address ongoing impacts to neighbouring residences.

The District of Kent said public notification, through letters to surrounding property owners within a 30-metre radius and newspaper advertisements, generated concerns around negative impacts to the rural residential character of the area as well associated operational issues (noise, light, general disturbances after hours.), and continued traffic/safety concerns with commercial vehicles Lougheed Highway. All correspondence was received by Council.

During Council’s deliberation, Mayor Sylvia Pranger said the temporary use permit was not an easy decision for her to adjudicate as mayor, particularly since she’s served the district for over 25 years. She noted that at one point in time, the district had a regional growth plan and an Official Community Plan it could rely on. However, the district has known for years that it lacks sufficient land inventory for commercial and light industrial use.

Mayor Pranger said the district has asked for 35 acres of land known as the “Teacup” properties to be removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve so that it can develop these lands for mixed use commercial, light industrial and residential properties, but the Agricultural Land Commission has flatly denied its request.

In her remarks during the meeting, Mayor Pranger said the District of Kent has very limited land on which to provide commercial or light industrial opportunities; the same goes for a large grocery store or a new elementary school that has been proposed. Land inventory currently does not support a medical clinic or other health facility, she added.

Due to a lack of available land to support the light forestry operation before her and fellow council members, Pranger said she would support the temporary use permit.

In the end, council voted to a one-year TUP with a one year renewal, at 2062 Lougheed Highway to allow for the temporary continuation of a limited commercial vehicle and equipment storage use with additional terms and conditions stipulated in the TUP agreement.