Williams Lake city council voted to sell a vacant piece of property at Ninth Avenue at McKinnon Road for $58,000.
The lot at 358 Ninth Avenue North is legally described as: That Part of District Lot 588, Cariboo District, Shown on Plan EPP124595, and was left over after the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) completed upgrades and changes to the nearby intersections and Highway 97. This was called the Toop Road Interchange project. The leftover property was released back to the city by MoTI.
In April 2024, city council directed staff to proceed with posting a request for offers for the lot, with a minimum bid of $50,000 and the need for a development plan based on the Official Community Plan policies and guidelines, zoning needs and a housing needs analysis report from 2021.
The city only received one proposal for the lot from the registered company of 1487314 B.C. Ltd, which appears to have registered as a business and incorporated on June 18, 2024.
The company purchased the approximately 0.22 acre piece of property for $58,000 plus applicable fees and taxes for the stated intended purpose of facilitating residential and commercial development on the site.
The city said the proposal indicates the plan is to complete development within the next 18 months.
Staff plans to consult with legal during the drafting of the property sale documents to include any possible legal mechanism to ensure the purchaser maintains these timelines and fulfills their proposed terms.
The disposition of the property was supported by staff and the property was zoned Service Commercial in the zoning bylaw map and designated as neighbourhood centre in the Official Community Plan.
Site development will be subject to a building permit and development permit, with a servicing plan able to support the proposed density also required.
