Image: City of Chilliwack / With Councillors Bud Mercer and Harv Westeringh dissenting, Chilliwack City Council on Tuesday (July 2) approved a three-year temporary use permit for a Chilliwack resident who sought to keep a metal storage container in her front yard. The resident of Glengarry Drive, located just east of Watson Elementary, gathered over 120 signatures from people who supported her ability to keep her metal storage bin. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Metal storage container in front yard

Bucking a city staff recommendation, divided Chilliwack council OK’s metal storage bin on resident’s property

Jul 3, 2024 | 9:22 AM

CHILLIWACK — With Councillors Bud Mercer and Harv Westeringh dissenting, Chilliwack City Council on Tuesday (July 2) approved a three-year temporary use permit for a Chilliwack resident who sought to keep a metal storage container in her front yard.

According to a city staff report authored by Krista Goodman, the applicant, Lynnette Parke, wanted council to approve a temporary use permit granting her permission to maintain an existing metal storage bin in the 6000 block of Glengarry Drive, located in a quiet neighbourhood east of Watson Elementary.

City staff had recommended that council deny the issuance of a temporary use permit, partly because the current location of Parke’s metal storage container did not appear to meet the minimum six-metre front lot line setback as required for ancillary structures within the R1-A zone. City staff pointed out that if a temporary use permit were approved, a development variance permit would be required to reduce the front lot line setback. The City of Chilliwack would have also required confirmation, through the development variance permit process, that the metal storage container did not encroach into the City road right-of-way. City staff indicated that metal storage containers were not permitted in the R1-A (urban residential) zone.

The City of Chilliwack received a bylaw enforcement complaint about the metal storage container in May 2023. The bylaw complaint entailed concerns about the overall appearance of the property and container. In response to the complaint, Parke applied for a temporary use permit as a way of bringing the property into compliance with city bylaw ordinances.

The city staff report indicated that once a 2020 zoning bylaw was adopted, standards and restrictions associated with metal storage containers were created and enacted.

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“These standards were created to address an increasing number of complaints within residential areas specifically about the visual appearance and use of metal storage containers not being in keeping with the residential character of the neighbourhood,” the staff report said. “As a result, the Zoning Bylaw currently permits metal storage containers on agricultural, industrial or institutional properties only or on residential properties for a limited time duration to permit on site storage when construction is actively taking place on the site.”

In the city staff report, Parke obtained signatures from 144 people in support of her petition allowing the metal storage container. Three people also emailed the city backing Parke’s application for a temporary use permit.

Parke told city council at its meeting Tuesday night that her metal storage bin wasn’t the only container in her neighbourhood.

Image: City of Chilliwack / Lynnette Parke addressed Chilliwack councillors during Tuesday evening’s council meeting.

“None of the other containers have permits,” Parke said. “No one knew about this bylaw even existing. There’s lots of bylaws that are not enforced, but because this is a great neighbourhood, where the motto could be ‘live and let live’, good neighbours talk to each other and work together to resolve issues. The city has said that the one complaint regarding this container highlights the concerns about the integration of these containers. I believe it highlights the need for objective evaluation. I disagree that one complaint highlights the concerns over storage containers. Neighbours that do not try and work out issues they have with other neighbours are often found to be troublemakers. Often the complaint is retaliation for an unrelated issue.”

Multiple councillors applauded Parke for doing her homework.

“Seldom have I seen in the 10 years that I’ve sat here, anybody get this many signatures of support,” Councillor Chris Kloot said. “I’m certainly pleased that the homework has been more than done.”

Councillor Jason Lum echoed his fellow councillor’s sentiments.

“I had the opportunity to speak with the applicant, she has done her work and talked to neighbours,” Lum said. “I understand that staff have a job to do. They’re obligated to respond when complaints are made. Neighbours can work things out amongst themselves and don’t need to involve the city and a heavier handed approach.”

Lum suggested that Parke possibly move the container back from the road a bit so that a development variance permit might not be triggered.

Councillor Nicole Read added, “I also feel the applicant has done a lot of work. In this process we have a really good opportunity to hear from the public. It’s something we’ve been fighting for to have the opportunity to hear from the public. When we get that opportunity, we should listen. I agree it’d be great if it could be moved back. This is good for three years. There could be a new council potentially in three years.”

Councillor Westeringh said the zoning bylaw existed because people don’t want to see metal storage sheds in front yards, while Councillor Mercer said the metal storage container wasn’t exactly attractive. Mercer recommended that the applicant clean up the lumber and associated pallet that were located in front of the bin.

“If I lived across the street, that’s the last thing in the world that I’d want to step out onto the street and look at,” Mercer said. Addressing the argument that people should be able to do as they please with their property, Mercer added, “I’m not allowed to have 10 dogs running around in my backyard, and I’m not also allowed to have two feet of grass in my front yard, or there’d be a complaint about an unsightly premise.”