Following City Council rebuff of Park Avenue plans Prince Rupert Port Authority to review its interest in acquiring site, explore other options with DP World towards container storage situation

Ken Veldman, Prince Rupert Port Authority VP for Communication
and Sustainability speaking Monday night at Prince Rupert
City Council's review of the Port's request for a Temporary Use
permit for land on Park Avenue

With Prince Rupert City Council having turned down a request from the Prince Rupert Port Authority for temporary use of land on Park Avenue, Port officials are now reassessing their interest in the land in question and reviewing their options towards alternative solutions for container storage. 

The latter, part of the preliminary work required as DP World prepares to ramp up its work on container terminal expansion on the city's waterfront.

As we noted yesterday, the city's elected officials turned down the request towards the temporary use permit, expressing concerns over noise, taking note of comments from nearby residents of the Graham Avenue area, as well as to share their hesitancy towards the initiative, advising that  there were too many unknowns related to potential future development for the site. 

Council's final decision came following ninety minutes of discussion that featured a presentation from the Port's Ken Veldman, as well as the participation from representatives of residents of the Graham Avenue area, who believe any development on the site would have a significant impact on their Quality of life.

The area in question related to the now denied PRPA request
for a temporary land use permit along Park Avenue

In the wake of the City's decision and in response to an enquiry for comment from the North Coast Review, Monika Côté, the Manager of Corporate Communications provided a statement on behalf of the Prince Rupert Port Authority.

 

The comments deliver a review of some of the key elements that were featured as part of Mr. Veldman's Monday evening presentation; as well as to reaffirm the Port's commitment to ensure that any impact on the container terminal expansion project is minimal.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority’s (PRPA) long term interest in acquiring the Park Avenue property is to formally buffer heavy industrial activity near Fairview Terminal from adjacent residential areas through the creation of recreational green space such as an extension of Moresby park and light industrial activities that are complementary to both port activity and residents. 

PRPA applied to the City of Prince Rupert for a temporary use permit because of an immediate opportunity to improve Fairview Terminal’s ability to maintain near capacity volumes and employment during its upcoming expansion construction, a use that aligned with the historic OCP designations for the property. 

In light of the inability to economically activate the property in the short term, PRPA will need to review our interest in acquiring the land and explore alternative solutions to empty container storage with DP World to ensure the operational impacts of terminal expansion are minimized.

As part of the proceedings of Monday, the City did suggest that the Port consider applying for a full rezoning of the property, a process which would require extensive consultation with the public and Council, as well as to provide for a Public Hearing on any rezoning request.

Some of the background on the request for the Temporary Use approval can be explored below.

Prince Rupert Port Authority plans for Park Avenue could one day include potential purchase for buffer between industrial and residential areas

More notes related to the Prince Rupert Port Authority can be reviewed here.