An application from the co-owner of local trucking company to exclude from the Agricultural Land Reserve a two-hectare site currently being used to store his trailers failed to win city council's support.
Council voted unanimously Monday to endorse a staff recommendation to deny the application from Benjamin Johnson for 5094 Highway 16 West.
It was the latest move in an ongoing conflict with the city.
In August 2015, the city filed a notice of claim in B.C. Supreme Court seeking an order prohibiting Benjamin Johnson and Rick Johnson, the owners of Two J Holdings 2000, from parking their equipment on at the location.
The equipment has been stored on the property since at least the end of 2003, contrary to city zoning for the site, according to the notice of claim which also covers 5098 Highway 16 West.
The application to the ALR was filed in November 2015 and forwarded to the city a month later.
But other than to say the purpose of the application is to "satisfy the City of Prince George so zoning can be changed," no rationale in support of the proposal has been provided, despite three letters from the city asking for one.
Even without the dispute, Coun. Jillian Merrick said she would have opposed the application.
"This property is situated in a very large parcel of contiguous agricultural land and by removing it, you're fragmenting the land and potentially deeming all the associated pieces in the area also dead in the water," Merrick said.
Approval from the city is required for an application to the ALR to advance, council was told.
The court action has not proceeded since it was first filed.
