Cache Creek Council granted a development permit to resident Jim Douglas so that he may put a 2,400 square foot shop and storage unit on his property. No one questioned the addition of the shop on the commercial property, but Coun.Wyatt McMurray was upset that the requirement for a Graffiti theme was being ignored.
The approval was upon condition that Douglas allow the Village a right of way along the Bonaparte River for a walkway, which Douglas said he was willing to do.
However, businesses in the development permit area are required, by bylaw, to add “graffiti days” highlights to whatever is being built. There was no “graffiti days” theme in the proposal.
McMurray attended the meeting by phone while sitting in the Vancouver Airport. He questioned the lack of graffiti highlights.
Mayor John Ranta said the requirement was not being enforced because it was a pre-engineered quonset style building, and administration had made a deal with the property owner for the riverside walkway. So, rather than complicate the issue with further requirements, they would not push the graffiti theme. And, being a quonset-style building, it already had a 1950s look.
“My concern is that we have a plan but anytime we have someone who wants to ignore it, we cave in. “If we’re not going to do it, let’s take it out.”
It was done in order to achieve an agreement with the property owner, said Ranta, to everyone’s benefit.
“So our votes are for sale? Are we that easily appeased?” said McMurray.
Ranta suggested that the permit approval be amended to include an “effort” to decorate with a graffiti theme. McMurray added approval by administration before proceeding, but as no one else on Council seconded it, the amendment was not considered.
Douglas was at the March 24 meeting. He said afterwards that he wouldn’t mind adding a graffiti days theme to it at all, but he was not asked. He said he had plans to landscape around the shop so it wouldn’t be an eyesore, and he would enjoy using a graffiti theme.
He hopes to start it this spring.