WEST Vancouver has dumped its guidelines for Ambleside development, doing away with a framework that could have allowed a restaurant, wine bar, rentals and a ferry terminal on that prized strip of land.
The decision came in the wake of outrage from residents who sang a familiar refrain from the unofficial West Van anthem: "Too broad, too big, not here."
Bowing to community pressure, a somewhat contrite council scuttled the framework, at least for now.
Good for them for listening.
The residents of West Vancouver are informed, active and opinionated. While Mayor Michael Smith may have a point when he rails against "instant negativity," his electorate deserves better than to be treated as a ceremonial assent to be stamped on a debate at its end.
Plans for the waterfront are tentatively scheduled to return to council in early June, and when they do the same tensions will surface.
Local businesses are suffering due to a lack of traffic and the hunt for waterfront parking continues to feel like the search for Sasquatch.
The district's 30-year-old mission to acquire every lot on the beach will also be stymied unless they raise taxes or make some money off the beach.
West Vancouver's government is justifiably proud of nabbing 29 of the 32 properties on the beach since 1975, but let's not forget why they chose to acquire the land in the first place. They wanted to keep that land for the public and, judging from the temperature in council chambers, it seems the public wants to keep the beach as their beach.
