Salmon Arm council gives initial approval to ‘positive addition’ to industrial area

Two 8,000-square-foot buildings are planned for a property near the Shuswap Regional Airport in Salmon Arm.

Phase 1 of the development at 3601 20th Ave. SE is already underway – four 468-square-metre (5,038-sq.ft.) storage buildings for mini warehousing.

Phase 2, which was presented at the city’s Jan. 17 development and planning meeting, will include 16,000 sq.ft. of commercial warehouse space fronting on 20th Avenue SE.

The applicant, Aviator Business Park Inc., stated in a letter the two newest buildings will be designed to appeal to commercial or industrial businesses that need to lease warehouse space to start or grow their business. The initial design for each building is to have four 2,000-sq.ft. bays per building. The buildings will be constructed entirely out of masonry, with structural concrete block, insulation and full masonry veneer.

The property is approximately 600 metres west of the airport. Directly to the east is Access Precision Machining.

Read more: City planning department looks forward to creation of more industrial land in Salmon Arm

The parcel in question is 3.6 hectares (8.9 acres), designated light industrial in the city’s official community plan (OCP), and zoned M1, general industrial. The parcel is within a designated ‘special development area,’ identified in the 1980s for the future expansion of the city’s industrial park. In 2006, the parcel was taken out of the Agricultural Land Reserve and rezoned from rural holding, A2 to M1.

With the adoption of the OCP in 2011, the property and adjacent block of land (60 hectares) fronting 10th Avenue SE and 20th Avenue SE were redesignated from ‘industrial’ to ‘light industrial’ for future land use and included within the ‘industrial development permit area.’ This development permit area designation means any development must adhere to design policies.

City staff recommended support of the development subject to the receipt of landscaping bonding, stating it is, as proposed, “a positive addition to the industrial area.”

Although the development permit application will also go to the next council meeting, council made a couple of comments. Coun. Tim Lavery thanked staff for now routinely including FireSmart guidelines in landscaping requirements.

Coun. Sylvia Lindgren wanted to confirm the warehouses would not be used for residential storage like the building behind them.

Staff assured they will be for commercial contractor use.

Read more: Council OKs two Salmon Arm properties leaving land reserve for light industrial use