A battle is brewing between local developer Lee Sexsmith and the City of Prince George over a proposed development near the Prince George Airport.
Sexsmith is seeking to develop a self-storage facility on Crown land at the end of Piper Road, on the top of a slope overlooking Highway 16. On Oct. 6 city director of planning Dan Milburn wrote a letter to Sexsmith, informing him a geotechnical assessment of the slope stability must be done on the site before the proposed rezoning can go before city council.
Sexsmith has launched an appeal of Milburn's decision - putting the issue before city council. On Monday, city council granted Sexsmith an extension to file additional information with the city.
"They're making a mountain out of a molehill, literally," Sexsmith said. "We've been given an estimate to do the work they want. It was more than the value of the property."
Sexsmith said a geotechnical report done by GeoNorth Engineering Ltd. for the intersection upgrade at Highway 16 and Boeing Road shows the slope is safe for development. Sexsmith obtained a copy of the report from the city through a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act request.
"It's the same rating as the Bennet Dam for stability," Sexsmith said. "This is the kind of stuff that makes me balk. They [city staff] aren't there to help you, they're there to oppose you - unless everything is perfect."
Sexsmith said the proposal fits with the city's Airport Light Industrial Plan for the area surrounding the airport.
The proposed storage facility would generate a small number of jobs and additional tax revenue for the city, he added.
In a presentation to city council on Monday, Milburn said the Ministry of Transportation has recorded significant movement along the slope. Allowing the rezoning to proceed without a geotechnical report could put public safety at risk.
"Essentially the proposed layout does not respect the current topography," Milburn said. "It is reasonable and prudent, given the knowledge of the property, to require a geotechnical report. We don't base our advice on the applicant's willingness to pay..."
Sexsmith is misreading the study by GeoNorth Engineering, Milburn added.
In an e-mail from GeoNorth to the city, engineer Dave McDougall said the report does not support Sexsmith's proposal.
"The geotechnical report does not consider Mr. Sexsmith's proposed development or the effect the development might have on slope stability," McDougall wrote.
Nor does the work done in the report meet the guidelines for landslide assessments, he added.
Sexsmith's appeal will be back before city council on Feb. 6.
