The Academy Awards have their place, but for pure pageantry and melodrama we recommend Monday night council meetings. There’s wine in the City of North Vancouver’s agenda, the possibility of a new dock in West Vancouver and the Delbrook question is being asked again in the District of North Vancouver.
District of North Vancouver
Like a Nuytco submarine, council is setting up for a deep dive engagement on the Delbrook lands. Council scuttled an 80-unit below-market project combined with a seniors respite centre on the site in November, leaving open the question of what council wants to do with the land.
Neighbours are concerned about “building height, parking needs . . . and the lack of progress on park planning,” according to a staff report. If Monday's motion is approved by council, conversations with the neighbours would likely take place through April and May.
West Vancouver
The district’s challenging relationship with the privately owned West Vancouver Marina may end with a complete rebuild.
The district announced it would break its lease with dock owner Kadin Equities in 2018 before reaching an 11th hour agreement giving the owner six months to bring the docks up to code.
The marina was shuttered after an inspection found the main beam supporting the marina’s gangway was rotted. There were also missing boards, docks tied together with garden hose and loose wires.
If approved by council, all the dock infrastructure would be replaced. District staff recommend waiving the usual development permit notification requirement in a bid to expedite the process.
Following the dock discussion, council is scheduled to consider temporary protection for heritage house the Chin Residence at 1840 Orchard Way.
City of North Vancouver
Currently, businesses within a one-kilometre radius of liquor stores are barred from putting booze on their shelves in the city. That policy, supported by the previous council, effectively left Loblaws and Overwaitea high and dry after provincial laws allowed grocery stores to stock wine.
On Monday night the Overwaitea Food Group is set to ask council to allow them a few bottles of vino at their Brooksbank Avenue location.
The agenda also includes a motion from Coun. Jessica McIlroy asking the city to take a more ambitious approach to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The motion is timely as council is also set to debate applying to the Union of B.C. Municipalities for a $150,000 grant to support flood hazard mitigation work in concert with the District of North Vancouver at Lynn Creek.
