Realtors call for independent review of Revelstoke’s building permit process

A request from local Revelstoke RE/MAX to create an independent task force and have a consultant conduct a review of the city’s building and development permit process did not get any immediate support from Revelstoke city council.

A delegation from RE/MAX attended the regular council meeting on June 12 to address impacts ongoing building and development permit delays are having on housing sales in the community. During a presentation to council, sales agent Todd Arthurs said frustrations are mounting with instances of city staff taking weeks to respond to requests for information about permits.

Arthurs said realtors in the community want to be part of the solution and envision a task force made up of multiple groups including builders, realtors, city staff and an independent consultant.

“It needs an outside review, it needs an answer,” said Arthurs.

The letter from Revelstoke RE/MAX outlines a number of the realtors’ concerns, including properties being re-sold because buyers do not have resources to develop or build due to delays, skilled builders moving away due to inefficiencies trying to build in Revelstoke, and business opportunities lost due to a lack of housing, taxes and high development cost charges.

Councillor Scott Duke said the real estate company’s concerns are valid, but pointed out all of the issues brought forward are ones the city is aware of and are working to solve.

“The reality is we’re not doing the job we need to do, but we are trying,” said Duke. “Every single issue you’ve listed, we are well aware of.”

Watch the RE/MAX delegation and conversation here

(Apologies: the audio quality from City of Revelstoke video system is poor.)

Councillor Gary Sulz said the concerns of contractors, businesses, home owners and others affected by building permit delays are being heard but the city can’t short circuit some of the items that are part of the process.

“I understand a lot of the work that is happening is behind the scenes and that the community can’t see that. I recognize that is a frustration point,” he said.

Arthurs acknowledged the work the city has done to date, but said as much as things are looking better they’re still not good enough.

“We’re concerned and we’re affected. I don’t know the whole process, I don’t pretend to … but we want to see some action, we want to see things changed.”

In its letter to council RE/MAX asked if an outside business could be hired to help with the influx of development the city is seeing. Mayor Mark McKee said an outside contractor is currently assisting with development applications while a permanent building inspector is sought. The city lost its only full-time building inspector earlier this year, and has been trying unsuccessfully for months to hire two new replacements.

“We’ve committed the resources. It’s getting the staff, getting them here and getting them to work. A lot of communities are in the same situation we’re in,” said McKee.

The Mountaineer is continuing to cover the ongoing issue of building and development permit delays in Revelstoke. See a list of our previous stories here.