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Pemberton restricts smoking

Residential building approved for industrial park

 

The Village of Pemberton has passed a sweeping bylaw that prevents smokers from lighting up close to pretty much any building but their homes.

Smokers can no longer light up cigarettes in retail outlets, personal services business, banks, hospitals, health clinics, food service establishments, cafes or buses. They're also not allowed to light up in any places of public assembly, billiard or pool halls, licensed establishments or anywhere else the public is invited or able to access.

Smokers are likewise prohibited from smoking within six metres of doorways, windows or air intakes in any such buildings. Beyond those restrictions, smokers also can't light up within 25 metres of any outdoor venue, playground, playing field, any place where a sport event is happening, a transit shelter or on a school property.

The damage for any contravention of this new bylaw is a fine of between $150 and $1,500 and the cost of prosecution. Pemberton Council put the bylaw through fourth and final reading at its Sept. 1 meeting without any discussion or debate.

Also on the agenda at the same meeting was an application for a development permit at 1936 Stonecutter Place in the Pemberton Industrial Park, also widely known as the Pemberton Business Park. The application by Kevin Maloney of Celtic Roots Masonry asked permission to build an 825.3 square foot industrial shop and 2,707.7 square foot residential building to be used by the owner.

The development was also expected to include two accessory buildings comprising an 840 square foot artisan's quarters and a 120 square foot concrete block building to store garbage and recycling.

The company, which has projects erected at Bowen Island, West Vancouver and Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, specializes in developing stone walls, fireplaces, chimneys and other projects such as wine cellars.

Councillor Ted Craddock opposed the application out of concerns about having a residential building in an industrial park.

"It would be a big mistake to turn an industrial park into a part residential subdivision," he said, adding that Pemberton could face major problems including having to run a bus through the park if even three or four kids are living there. The park likewise would not have sidewalks and could lead to a swath of noise complaints if work starts up early in the morning.

Craddock went on to say that the house being proposed for the property would be over 2,700 square feet, bigger than most houses in Pemberton's Glen neighbourhood and the rest of the community. He said a trend could start with one house in the park and then go on to develop more.

Pemberton Mayor Jordan Sturdy responded that there's already kids living in the industrial park and that there are residences located above some businesses there. He asked Craddock whether his concerns were around general policy or simply the fact of residences being located in the park.

Craddock said there should not be any housing in an industrial park except for a caretakers' residence.

"People want industrial land or they want residential," he said.

Sturdy later said that Maloney put forward an interesting proposal and that without the residential component it could be a very interesting addition to the park.

He also said that future developers looking to set up residences in the park could be asked to sign an understanding that they live close to industry and that activities not conducive to home living would likely occur close to them.

Council ultimately approved the permit, including the residential component.