The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) will be removing trailers from Peter Demski’s property after a court injunction in October.
The B.C. Supreme Court granted the application that ordered the removal of all trailers and a bus from his Granby Road property by Dec. 1.
Demski explained that the RDKB came down to his property with police enforcement and a mobile home moving company and posted a bunch of signs on doors stating everybody had to be out by Dec. 1.
“They haven’t said when they’re coming back so I’m expecting them at any time. I don’t really know what’s going on,” Demski stated.
Of the trailers still remaining on Demski’s property, two are currently still occupied.
“Officials from the regional district inspected the property on Dec. 2 and found that most of the trailers are still there,” explained Mark Andison, director of planning and development at the RDKB. “We will be taking steps to make sure the trailers are removed.”
The court order also allows the RDKB to enter Demski’s property as well.
“The regional district can enter the property and remove (the trailers) at the time of our choosing, so we will be exercising that option,” stated
Andison. “At this point, we’re looking at taking them to the regional district landfill site.”
All costs associated with the removal of trailers will be billed to the property owner, explained Andison.
“He will be liable to all those costs,” he said.
Andison pointed out that discussions with social services staff at the Ministry of Social Development indicated people who resided in the already-vacated dwellings had no trouble finding other dwellings within the community.
The RDKB will be working along side a trailer moving company to move the remaining dwellings.
“They’ve been notified that they’re required to vacate those homes immediately because there’s a court order for those homes to be removed,” said Andison.
Based on the Agricultural Land Commission and where Demski’s property is located, only one single-family dwelling is permitted per property.
There is a provision that allows additional dwellings for farm help for established farms, but Demski stated it wasn’t granted.
“I would have to prove I’ve been farming for a year,” Demski explained. “Which I haven’t been for a year, so they didn’t give it to me.”
Andison concluded that Demski is only allowed one dwelling unit per property and he has several more than that.