City Council moves Drake Crescent Townhome's plans on to Public Notification towards Public Hearing

The Days for Boat Storage on Drake Crescent may soon be dwindling
as the developer looks to move forward with a 44 unit townhome project

Prince Rupert Council members made quick work of a Report on the path forward for the long delayed Drake Crescent Townhome project, moving forward  to Public Notification of a Public Hearing for a variance request from Kevin Stunder, the President of Aurora Pacific Construction,.

We outlined the scope of the Report, along with some history to the stalled hosing development as part of our Council preview items from Monday, 

At the Council Session, Mr. Stunder spoke to his request, participating by remote connection as part of the public discussion period of the Monday night session.

Towards his project he observed towards what was up for consideration on the night, along with some background on the home building industry at the moment 

"I'm represented later in your Council Agenda with a variance application that we're seeking for our Drake Height's project. We spent a little bit of time with your planning department going through and you know we have two variances that  you'll be reviewing.

One is for a setback, one's for parking and again these are things that we're trying to do, we don't have the easiest economic climate  for building homes right now ... with interest rates and build costs and stuff like that. 

But we're hoping that this project can receive a go ahead, it would be our goal for next year and you know these variances would help in that capacity and stuff like that"

As Mr. Stunder noted he's previously built about 14 homes in Prince Rupert over the last five years, along with work for Northern Health, BC Housing and LNG Canada.

When it comes to the variances the offered up a few more notes towards the company's request.

"I think your planning department did a great job, exactly expressing what we're trying to do inside sort of the planning notes in your agenda. 

I don't have anything to add to that other than the fact that since we have the whole city block in that area. 

That most of the variances, you know we're the direct beneficiary and we' re the only ones to have any pro or cons with it, since you know our block doesn't have any neighbours you know within our own its own parcel and stuff like that.

I'll look forward to the Public Hearing which I think will be upcoming early in the New Year. 

And of course at that point,  I'll be  wide open to help any questions or queries you have on it"

The Prince Rupert Boulevard side of the proposed development
which is the subject of part of the variance request 

When it came time to discuss the application later in the session, Council had no comments to make towards it, setting the process forward towards next year.

Residents who may have an interest in the call to Public Hearing should follow the City's Notice page on the website and their Social media stream towards when that hearing will be scheduled.

You can review Mr. Stunder's comments from the City's Video archive starting at the one hour, eighteen minute mark.

More notes from the Monday Council Session can be reviewed here.

A look at housing themes in Prince Rupert is available here.