If the seniors facility goes up, property values will go down.
That was the rallying cry for many neighbours who attended an April 16 public hearing to oppose a seniors care facility proposed for Taylor Way and Keith Road and backed by West Vancouver district staff.
Maison Senior Living has submitted a design for a three-storey, 103-bed facility that would include a floor for seniors with memory problems such as dementia.
The centre would be located on five lots currently zoned for single-family housing.
Offering an uncharacteristically emotional story from his own life, the district's director of planning Bob Sokol recommended council approve the project.
Sokol noted a shortage of housing targeted for seniors as well as the facility's minimal neighbourhood impact - but said his mother's struggle with Alzheimer's influenced his decision.
"It was a real shot to the gut when, in a rare moment of clarity, my mom confided to me that, 'Bobby, I never wanted to be this way.'" There is a great importance in living your final days with dignity, Sokol said in his endorsement of the project.
The development could be detrimental to the financial well-being of its neighbours, according to several speakers.
"If this project goes through, it will mean devastating loss in the value of our biggest asset: our home," said Diamond Karim.
Residents rely on council to protect their investment, according to Karim.
Mayor Michael Smith, who lives near the West Vancouver Care Centre, described seniors facilities as good neighbours.
"I would say to the residents: you should be careful what you wish for because if five single-family lots go in there, you're going to have every tree taken down and you're going to have five monster houses," he said in a January council meeting.
His comments troubled Karim.
"Are these not leading comments in favour of the project? Are we really keeping an open mind?" he asked.
The project received support from the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.
Director Virginia Bird noted the positive economic impacts of a developer dedicated to hiring local physiotherapists, landscapers and florists.
Besides a community amenity contribution of $1.76 million, the project would also net the district $490,000 in development cost charges.
The development would be deleterious to neighbourhood character while worsening traffic congestion, according to Eden Place resident Marie Payette-Falls.
The project includes 40 parking stalls, 32 of which would be underground. A staff report noted the facility's 103 residents do not drive.
The project illustrates the pitfalls of spot zoning, according to Payette-Falls, who said private pay facilities have a negative effect on seniors who need affordable care.
Payette-Falls urged council to make "the only possible decision," and to reject the project.
Peer reviewed surveys of seniors facilities have consistently found the profit motive diverts funds that should be used for the care of seniors, according to neighbour and medical doctor Giuseppe del Vicario.
While many speakers described the cost of Maison as prohibitive, Diane Michaels pointed out that around-the-clock care for an ailing senior is similarly expensive.
Maison is exactly what this community needs, according to Michaels.
"My own extended family and many families of close friends have struggled to find high-quality care in West Vancouver - particularly memory care," she said.
Michaels applauded the location, which is near transit, as well as the unobtrusive design.
Approximately half of the building's three storeys are below grade.
Cherie DeVisser, a North Vancouver resident, also questioned the assertion that the North Shore's senior care market is saturated.
Families are frequently forced to relocate their loved ones outside their community, according to DeVisser. "This is tearing apart families at a time they need to be together," she said.
Council is scheduled to debate third reading of the proposal next Monday, April 28.
