City council voted unanimously to support the proposed relocation of a liquor store from the Hart to 1933 Queensway on Monday night
The controversial proposal generated opposition from area residents, who raised concerns about the safety of their neighbourhood. Forty-eight residents of the neighbourhood wrote submissions opposing the proposal, 288 people signed an online petition against the proposal as of Monday, and others raised their concerns in person at the public hearing on Monday night. Liquor store owner/operator Nick Drazenovic – a former Prince George Cougar, AHL and NHL player – rallied 451 submissions in support for his proposed business.
Coun. Cori Ramsay, who lives across the street from the proposed location, said it comes down to a land use issue.
“There are social issues in the neighbourhood, and those concerns are completely valid,” Ramsay said. “I do take comments and correspondence seriously. I’m one of you, facing these issues. I see this location from my patio facing Queensway.”
However, she said, she couldn’t vote against the proposal in good conscience. It would be unfair to hold the proponent to a higher standard than would be expected in other areas of the city, she said.
Coun. Terri McConnachie said she is also a Millar Addition resident, and she understands the fear and feeling of helplessness expressed by residents about the crime in their neighbourhood. Her mother-in-law, who lived across the street from her, was robbed in her home while she slept, McConnachie added.
“I want to acknowledge the Millar Addition has been experiencing its social issues. I also understand the crime. I understand the desire to take back control,” she said. “(But) I do sincerely believe it will be a positive addition to fill a vacant building on a main artery.”
Drazenovic said he purchased the Cold Beer and Liquor Store, located at 6475 Hart Hwy., and is looking to move the existing operation to 1933 Queensway. One of the conditions of the purchase is that he moves the store out of the Hart to avoid competition with the former owner’s other businesses, he said.
In order to facilitate the move, Drazenovic applied to rezone the former florist shop from C6: Highway Commercial to C4l: Local Commercial.
Council approved the first three readings of the rezoning bylaw on Monday night, and supported the approval of his Liquor Licence Application for the site, which will be forwarded to the B.C. Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch for final approval. A fourth reading of the rezoning bylaw will come back to city council for a second vote.
Drazenovic made a presentation to city council, saying he intended to work with the neighbours and area businesses to manage the safety issues as they arise.
“I have listened to the neighbours concerns really carefully,” he said. “I currently own another liquor retail store in Quesnel. The store will be a high-end establishment. Prince George means the world to me, and I plan to make the store a place the neighbourhood can be proud of.”
Drazenovic’s agent, local consultant David McWalter, said Drazenovic plans to upgrade the lighting, security cameras, façade, landscaping and other aspects of the building. The parking lot for the building is fully-fenced and most customers would access the store by car from the fenced lot, he added.
“There is long-standing concerns about safety in the nieghbourhood,” Coun. Murry Krause said. “The proponent has offered to work with the neighbours – take him up on that.”
Coun. Brian Skakun said he was brought to tears by the heartfelt concerns raised by many of the residents.
“For me this is a tough, tough decision. (The social issues) have devastated this neigbourhood. (But) I see a business person and his family who want to invest there,” Skakun said. “Everything in me says don’t support it, because of what’s happening. But I can’t do that. Reluctantly, I will support it.”
‘WE ARE UNDER SEIGE’
Residents of the Millar Addition voiced their concerns about safety to city council through letters, emails and in person.
Diane Nakamura, a retired social worker and longtime resident of the area, said the issues of crime in the area have gotten progressively worse over the past few years.
“It’s gotten to the point, my neighbours and I are feeling we are under siege,” Nakamura said. “It is a horrible feeling, when you feel you have no control over your own safety. We see criminal activity happening daily on our (security) cameras.”
Nakamura spent decades working with the homeless and vulnerable populations, and said increasing access to alcohol will have a negative impact for the area.
She said she just got back from a vacation, and it’s gotten to the point where she didn’t want to come home because the spring brings increased levels of crime in the area.
Jordana Sarson said she bought her first home in the area three-and-a-half years ago. She said she ends up calling police and bylaw services multiple times a week, with little response.
“I’ve been broken in to. My car was ransacked last week. I have cameras, it doesn’t stop anybody,” Sarson said. “They are stealing boards off my fence to build fires in the alley.”
A liquor store is just the wrong kind of business for the area, she said.
Lindsay Hughes said the neighbours she has spoken to are concerned a liquor store will only add to the problems they are already facing. Once the staff at the store go home, it will be area residents who are left to deal with the problems the store creates, she said.
“I don’t doubt they can make a good business, but it is the wrong kind of business. After 10 p.m., 11 p.m. who is watching? I am. I am the one who calls the police,” Hughes said. “I don’t feel safe in my own backyard, because people are climbing over fences.”
Hughes said that a liquor store she could walk to might be a nice amenity, but not in that neighbourhood.
“Is the convenience of liquor more important than the safety of the neighbourhood?”
