Nine of the 11 people who spoke at a public hearing to get input on a bylaw that would require a higher standard for boarding up buildings in Fort 91原创 voiced support for the change.

A report to the Monday (Sept. 17) night hearing said the 鈥溾�� is to establish 鈥渕inimum standards of maintenance for protected heritage property that is designated as protected by a heritage designation bylaw or is within a heritage conservation area.鈥�

The regulations include a clause that would require sheets of quarter-inch 鈥減olycarbonate clear boarding鈥� instead of plywood in 鈥渢he case of property located in a heritage conservation area, including but not limited to protected heritage property, where it is necessary for any reason, including but not limited to reasons provided for under this bylaw, to board up windows 鈥� in order to protect the heritage character and heritage value of the heritage conservation area.鈥�

The regulations come in the wake of a long-running dispute between Fort 91原创 builder Eric Woodward and the municipality that has seen several buildings shut down and boarded up.

Woodward, who is now running for a seat on 91原创 council, recently had the plywood covered with historic photos.

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One of the bylaw supporters, business owner Jasmine Marjanovic, said the boarded-up buildings have hurt Fort 91原创.

鈥淚t is hard enough to run a small business anywhere, but way harder under these circumstances,鈥� said Marjanovic.

鈥淓verything I have learned about downtown revitalization and creating a healthy business environment points to the importance of 鈥渂eautification.鈥�

Boarding up buildings on main street with ugly plywood is the opposite of 鈥榖eautification,鈥� in my opinion.鈥�

One of the opponents, former mayor Kurt Alberts, filed a written submission that said that he agrees something must be done about 鈥渟uper ugly鈥� boarded-up buildings, but what he referred to as the 鈥減lywood bylaw鈥� was the wrong way to go about it because it only applies to heritage areas.

鈥淚 am opposed to the bylaw singling out properties under the guise of heritage,鈥� Alberts said.

鈥淒eliberately making a neighbourhood 鈥渟uper ugly鈥� should not be allowed anywhere in the Township. (That has) nothing to do with heritage. Please change the bylaw to show respect for all areas of our Township.鈥�

The bylaw is expected come back to council for a vote on Oct. 1.

dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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