Despite the misgivings of one city councillor, Grand Forks is poised to rezone a vacant downtown building so it can be used primarily for residential purposes.
Council gave three readings this week to the bylaw for 125 Market Avenue. If the Ministry of Transportation provides its approval, the bylaw will come back to council for adoption. According to a staff report, a public hearing isn’t required because the proposal is consistent with the official community plan.
Dr. Gary Sandhar and Dr. Mark Szynkaruk have come forward with a new proposal for the property, where Szynkaruk previously sought to create a brewery and restaurant.
Under the existing zoning, only half of the single-storey building could be used for residential purposes. Under the new zoning, the entire building could be residential, although the developers would still have the option of using some portion of it for commercial space.
The developers previously said that at a minimum, they expect to create six one-bedroom residential units, with the possibility of a couple of two-bedroom units as well. They expect the building will attract medical professionals who want to live there, although it would not be limited to them. The construction timeline is estimated at 12 to 18 months.
Councillor Rod Zielinski said he was worried about relaxing requirements around commercial spaces.
“If we get rid of the commercial requirement for downtown, I don’t know how long before you [don’t] have a downtown,” he said. “Maybe it’s just doctors’ and lawyers’ offices and that’s it.”
Zielinski said they could be setting a precedent with a “slippery slope.”
BC Assessment indicates the building, which is over 6,300 square feet, was constructed in 1929. It was previously home to a lawyer’s office and a bakery, among other things.
