YOUR COMMUNITY
NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969

December 28, 1986 News 985-2131

Br

District task force to investi

aan es

ILLEGAL SUITE evictions are on hold until the end of
April in the District of North Vancouver.

Tenants that were facing a cold
new year with imminent evictions,
and illegal suite owners recently hit
with compliance notification were
granted a reprieve Monday on any
action taken by the district.

Council voted to implement 2
moratorium extending to April 30,
1987 on compliance enforcement
against illegal suites to allow time
for a specially formed task force to
consider new approaches to an old
problem vexing municipalities
throughout the Lower Mainland.

The task force will include rep-
resentation from council, staff,
community associations, tenants,

re

(Fun run

real estate and property
ment officials.

District director of development
Fred Sigurjonsson said five of the
50 illegal suite investigations, pro-
cessed before the moratorium,
were ordered to comply to single-
family zoning specifications.

“These are cases where violation
has been determined and there has
been no progress towards com-
pliance. But I’m not sure haw
many eviction notices have been

manage-

ee S

Classified 986-6222 Distribution 986-1337 40 pages 25¢

served by landlords,’’ said Sigur-
jonsson.

He said any new. complaints of
illegal suites will continue through
the property use inspection pro-
cess, but the district will hold off
on issuing compliance orders.

The district has stepped up ac-
tive enforcement of single-family
residentia! zoning infractions since
hiring a property use inspector for
the first time in July.

“The inspector is mandated to
look into general bylaw com-
pliance but he’s spending 90 per
cent of his time on illegal suites,””
said Sigurjonsson.

The illegal suite issue came to a
head in the district Dec. 15 with a
McGuire Avenue single-family

New

Year

style
PAGE 13

gate

homeowner imploring council to
halt impending January evictions
faced by friends living in illegal
suites in ‘his Lower Capilano
neighborhood.

“The majority of council wants
to look at the current bylaw —
whether to uphold it or make
changes. It would be inappropriate
and inconsiderate to be throwing
people out while we consider
changes,’’ commented Mayor
Marilyn Baker.

Under current single-family res-
idential zoning designation the
district defines an illegal suite
either on the basis of construction
or by occupancy.

iMega! construction would entail
a separated dwelling unit with no

interconnecting doors. Illegal oc-
cupancy covers people living in-
dependently of the remainder of
the building although the suite may
be interconnected.

“It’s a positive and difficult step
forward, kut it’s a step that had to
be taken,’”’ said Ald. Craig Clark.
“We have to reflect the needs of
the community. Times have
changed.

But Ald. Ernie Crist, the Jone
voice on counci) against the
moratorium and task force ap-
proach, maintains the solution lies
in more affordable non-profit
housing. ‘‘We're going to end up
another Hong Kong if real estate
speculators can dictate the quality
of community living.”

NEWS photos Neil Lucente

CHROME AND muscle provide a study in contrasts as a competitor, above, stretches in preparation for
the recently held Christmas Fund Relay Race, Left, a runner makes a last minute check on the movable
parts below his waist. Ten teams of eight runners each ran at Ambleside Park to collect funds from cor-
porate sponsors for the North Vancouver Christmas Bureau and the West Vancouver Santa Claus Fund.
The relay racers earned $5,000 for the two charities. See story page 2.

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