Wanted: One (1) board of variance

The former members of Vancouver’s board of variance plan to take the city to court, after they were suddenly dumped late last week.

Court action could come as early as tomorrow morning. The five members are seeking a stay on council’s decision to fire them. If granted, they could in effect be reinstated as board of variance members until their grievances are heard by the courts.

“We intend to seek a stay as soon as possible, and that would mean a stay on the decision of council,” now-former board chair Terry Martin said in an interview, even as the city advertised his former position.

NPA councillors said the board was fired because it consistently went over budget.

But others who have had dealings with the board in recent weeks see the issue as a power struggle between the city and its layperson board.

Developer Raj Nijjar became frustrated with the board, after it quashed a city permit allowing him to subdivide a 50-foot lot in Dunbar.

“In our case it was almost two years of work and almost $80,000 in architectural fees that went down the drain,” said Nijjar, who says he is about to file court action against the board.

He called the group a “rogue board” which worked above and beyond its jurisdiction.

But False Creek resident Rider Cooey defended the board.

“I would reject that characterization entirely,” said Cooey, who led a citizens’ group that just last week won its appeal against a Concord Pacific development, convincing the board to block a planned marina.

“They’ve been extremely conscientious,” Cooey said. “They’re very hardworking. It’s a great deal of time spent serving the people in the city.”