A long-established logging business will be getting new digs.
Holbrook Dyson Logging will be moving to a new office at 2500 Island Highway after getting approval from council for a major development permit to renovate an old home already on the property.
The building and property, located in northern Campbell River near the corner of Highway 19A and Antonelli Road, was previously a single family residence which Holbrook intends to transform into office space.
Rob Wood of Holbrook Dyson made a presentation to council at its Monday night meeting to explain why the logging company is on the move.
“We’ve been in our present office location since ’91 and we basically have outgrown the infrastructure and the parking lot where we are,” Wood said, “so we purchased this property earlier last spring and we intend to upgrade it.”
Wood said parking is particularly challenging at the current office site on 14th Avenue.
With the new space, Wood said workers will have ample space to park their cars in the lot for the day.
“The area will be for vehicle parking only, there will be no heavy equipment of any sort,” Wood said.
In addition to improvements to the old residential home, Holbrook also plans to build a detached workshop building on the site.
Wood assured council that only equipment will be stored in the workshop.
“It will be dry storage – for parts and pieces – so no oils or anything,” said Wood, taking into consideration a stream near the property.
Kathleen Wilker, the city’s planner, said that Holbrook’s new home is far enough away from the stream that there shouldn’t be any problems.
“Given that there is a property between the stream/ditch and the subject site, sedimentation from the development and use on the subject property…is of little risk,” Wilker wrote in a report to council.
“A letter from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (dated Nov.1, 1999) notes that ‘there should be no new construction of any kind within 30 metres of the stream.’ The applicant has indicated that no development activity is planned for this area. As such, the streamside development permit area has not been triggered and a QEP (Qualified Environmental Professional’s) assessment was not completed.”
Wilker said overall the new building should be an improvement to what’s currently on site.
“The location of the project along the ‘gateway’ to Campbell River is significant and of interest to council due to the positive visual impact the proposed improvements to the property will have (and) it will be noticed by all who drive past,” Wilker wrote. “The site access, internal circulation pattern and parking have been handled effectively by using the existing driveway/access onto Island Highway while still retaining some green area at the front of the property which softens the harsh feel associated with similar commercial uses.”
Wood said he’s confident that everyone will be satisfied with the end product.
“We feel that it will improve the area and it will help us a lot in the business world,” he said.