The Richmond Board of Education will consider whether to approve a covenant bylaw to allow the construction of a modular classroom at R.C. Talmey elementary even though it straddles two properties.
The B.C. Ministry of Education and Child Care approved a six-classroom prefabricated modular classroom addition south of the existing school in May.
This was supported as part of the 2024/2025 Five-Year Capital Plan, and the classroom development is currently going through the building permit application process with the City of Richmond.
However, the additional classroom straddles two adjoining parcels of land, both owned by the Richmond Board of Education.
Both lots are zoned "school and institutional," according to Richmond Interactive Map.
In order for the City of Richmond to issue a building permit, the board of education will need to allow an "Improvements Straddling Property Lines Covenant" for the R.C. Talmey Elementary School site in the Land Title Office.
This document will speed up the construction of the additional classrooms without "the full consolidation of the two legal parcels at this stage," according to a Board of Education document.
"The Board’s granting of the Covenant will neither conflict with nor detract from the regular and extracurricular programs of the school, or the current or future educational needs of the school district," reads the report.
"Registration of the Covenant will not interfere with the Board’s current and future use of the property."
The covenant bylaw will not need the ministry's approval.
Board members of the Richmond School District will decide whether to approve the covenant bylaw at Nov. 20's public board of education meeting.
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