THE eggs haven't quite hatched, but the chicken-counting was in full swing at Monday's West Vancouver council meeting.
If Grosvenor's longplanned mid-rise towers in the 1300-block of Marine Drive receive final approval, Grosvenor will likely pay West Vancouver somewhere in the neighbourhood of $8 million in community amenity contributions, according to director of planning Bob Sokol.
Approximately 80 per cent of the contribution would be in cash, with the rest delivered in-kind. In-kind could mean public tennis courts atop a 112-stall parking garage at Marine Drive and 13th Street, a community space in Grosvenor's east building, and $750,000 worth of public art.
Community amenity contributions are tied to the boost in land value resulting from a rezoning. Council-watcher George Pajari has been critical of the district's uplift methodology in the past, accusing mayor and council of leaving money on the table.
Pajari expressed concern on Monday that the public wouldn't have access to the district's uplift calculations.
"Will council please commit to release the full report?" he asked.
Council and the public have been viewing abbreviated uplift reports for the last 18 months or so, explained Sokol.
"The reason council no longer receives the full report and the report does not go public is there is some proprietary information that is included in that report," Sokol said.
Pajari cited a full report related to the Hollyburn Mews development and questioned the district's commitment to full disclosure.
"I'm concerned that this issue of proprietary information is being used to camouflage and hide public policy information that is critical to the evaluation of these important decisions," he said.
Pajari received notes of support from Mayor Michael Smith as well as Coun. Craig Cameron.
"I don't see a reason why the vast bulk of the report shouldn't be made public, and I do think there's an important transparency element here," Cameron said.
The notion of Grosvenor incorporating an $800,000 community space into its development struck some observers as being too expensive.
"Council could probably take that $800,000 and apply it to the Navvy Jack house restoration or another community space and get more bang for the buck," Pajari said.
A district report lists Artists for Kids as a possible occupant for the space.
While she was supportive of the organization, Coun. Trish Panz questioned the fit. "I have great support for Artists For Kids. It's a phenomenal organization and it would be wonderful to see it in West Van. I'm not sure if this is the place," Panz said.
Coun. Mary-Ann Booth recused herself from the discussion and Coun. Nora Gambioli did not attend the meeting.
