Mayor and council voted to approve a development variance permit application by Thompson Creek Metals last week.
The variance will allow Thompson Creek Metals to erect a security fence 2.44 m in height around the parking lot they are currently building at the end of Douglas.
Bylaws in residential areas usually require fences to be one metre in height or less in the front yards of residential areas.
The lot in question is zoned commercial but in a residential area, a zoning change the previous council approved as part of a preliminary subdivision plan Thompson Creek had done. No development has taken place except for the construction of the parking lot for mine workers catching the bus up to the mine each day.
At the council meeting, while some councillors expressed reservations at the variance, the motion did pass.
Councillor Joan Burdeniuk said she did not like the idea of the company moving this one part of their development forward, “without any other development in the area.”
“I’m not seeing that there’s any movement in that direction,” she said. “I’m disappointed.”
While Mayor Rob Macdougall and Councillor Riley Willick expressed similar concerns, they also still supported the motion to approve the variance.
Property owners within 100 metres of the property were notified of the possible change and were given a chance to comment.
Brenda Gouglas was the sole opponent to write a letter to council, saying she did not like the idea.
Peter and Florence Valk wrote a letter in support of the variance.