The controversy over establishing a residential women's therapeutic facility on the city's southwestern edge is heading back to court.
Haldi Road area resident Tore Pettersen filed a petition this week at the Prince George courthouse seeking orders to quash city council's recent decision to allow the proposed Northern Supportive Recovery Centre to go ahead.
A previous council vote in favour of the centre was overturned when a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled the attempt to re-zone the property violated the community plan. In response, council amended the plan following a public hearing, in addition to passing a zoning amendment.
Pettersen claims the decision remains invalid because it's inconsistent with the city's official community plan and council's amendment to the OCP is "internally inconsistent" with city policies in respect to Rural B property, which is marked for "moderate-intensity rural residential use" with a minimum lot size of one per two hectares.
Pettersen also claims Mayor Shari Green was in a conflict of interest when she voted on the matter due to a long-standing friendship with Brian Fehr, one of the shareholders in the company that owns the land at 5877 Leslie Road where the 30-bed facility is to be located.
The site was formerly the home of Haldi Road elementary school.
Green has an "indirect interest" in passing the relevant bylaws because that action "would indirectly benefit her long term friend," according to Pettersen's petition.
The claim is based in part on a letter included in supporting documents that Green wrote to Fehr in April 2012 regarding disparaging comments then-Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Pat Bell had made to her about him.
Green called the comments "shocking" and told Fehr that he is a "fabulous person" and that she has the "utmost respect" for him and the "incredible things you are doing to make your community better."
Bell has since said he has apologized to Fehr for the comments. They have been at odds after Bell allegedly broke a promise to include Fehr's BID Group of Companies on the final list of companies invited to make a bid on the design-build contract for the Wood Innovation and Design Centre at Fifth and George downtown.
Prince George lawyer Roy Stewart, who argued the first case against the proposal, is listed as Pettersen's counsel in the latest lawsuit.
