EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated since it was first posted to correct an error in the timing of Wednesday's vote. It is in fact, 6 p.m.
They've heard the good and the bad but they put off getting down to the ugly.
Following a three-hour public hearing on the District of West Vancouver’s Marine Drive corridor local area plan Monday night, council opted to delay the official debate and vote until Wednesday evening. The delay was intended to give mayor and council time to “digest” the comments made and read written submissions that were still coming right up to the start of the hearing.
If council passes the plan, which will be one component piece of the municipality's much larger official community plan revamp, it will clear the way for proponents of three major development projects to apply for rezoning – two 12- to 14-storey towers at the White Spot site at Park Royal, a 24- to 26-storey tower at the Earls restaurant site just east of the Lions Gate Bridge on-ramp and a six- to eight-storey project at 660 Clyde Ave.
Those who came out to address council in person spoke in favour of the plan by a margin of about six to one. Many of those speaking were representing community groups or non-profits that assist people with low incomes or disabilities in finding housing, in hopes that three major developments contained in the plan would provide much needed units.
Former West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce president Gabrielle Loren urged council to pass the plan to bring about a more diverse range of housing options and to stem the loss of long-term residents. Loren herself said she was preparing “regretfully” to move to another municipality after 51 years.
“We are downsizing to a unit in Lower Lonsdale as that area is able to supply us with all the needs that West Vancouver has fallen behind in providing. For the past 30-plus years, I've seen West Vancouver stand still while the rest of the Lower Mainland has embraced supportive housing, enhanced public realms, kept natural environments natural, provided urban centres and transit-oriented developments,” she said. “Not only should (the plan) be passed but should be embraced and pushed forward at lightning speed or you will lose more of us residents that even the census reports show.”
The local area plan had its critics, including Scenery Slater who told council to reject the proposal and write a better one, largely because it was incomplete in many ways.
“It is focused on three developments and not a complete community. A complete community includes elements like schools, parks, recreation, community use sites,” she said.
The plan up for discussion also fell short of including commitments of how many of the 500 to 750 units anticipated at full build-out would be deemed affordable.
“We are just assured more housing - not rental, affordable or accessible housing and as a community, we can do better than this.”
Other opponents pleaded with council to find some new way of making traffic flow through the congested intersection of Taylor Way and Marine Drive before making any other decisions on land use.
Under provincial law, council members can no longer receive or consider any new input from the public now that the public hearing is closed. A special meeting of council will be held on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
