THE plan through which Lynn Valley will densify and grow in the coming decades will be front and centre for the District of North Vancouver in September.
District Mayor Richard Walton delivered an update at council on Monday night, promising a thorough report on the consultation meetings held in June that were aimed at getting feedback on the Lynn Valley implementation plan. Depending on what council decides, that plan could bring a series of eight-storey mid-rise condos or a single 22-storey skyscraper,. "On behalf of district council, I'd like to thank the significant number of people who participated in the recent community discussions held, mostly, in June. Over 1,200 participants attended four open houses," said Walton.
The district received roughly 1,400 pieces of feedback on paper, online and in comments sent directly to members of council. All of the feedback will be collated and assessed by consultants for a report, which will contain "close directions for implementation," Walton said.
"I assure you that council is listening closely to the community and values the very high level of engagement in planning for Lynn Valley Centre," he said. "The work is for the community to develop a 20-year plan that meets the needs of current residents and considers future generations in Lynn Valley, while protecting the natural environment and mountain village character and surrounding residential area."
But if Monday's meeting was a prelude to September's report, the skyscraper height will remain controversial.
"An outcome of the community consultation is that the issue of height limits is clearly framed: the status quo of two-storeys or something up to eight storeys," said Hazen Colbert, an East 22nd Street resident who approached the mic at the start of the meeting. "Please do not create a conduit through which an application for anything more than four storeys arrives at people's homes. If such an application arrives, the community consultation process will have been a waste of time and our foundation cracked."
Another resident urged council to give more thought to the comments offered by existing Lynn Valley residents than comments coming from people looking to sell their homes to developers.
