Dear Editor:
“A good fit?” The arguments made by city council to approve a 13-storey building in a residential neighbourhood are deeply flawed. One should be sorry that planners don’t know this. Praising (property developer) Anthem for their “sensitivity and respect” (Coun. Linda Buchanan) is sentimental in the face of the rents in the new building and uprooting families. “Greater density would be a good fit” (Mayor Darrell Mussatto) ignores the reality that this small neighbourhood with narrow streets and character will become another annex to urban sprawl that has shoved out 55 rental units. Of course “character” with “old buildings” (1950s) is obsolete. A 10-year moratorium (10 per cent below market rate) on 23 rental units is hardly an answer. It’s clear that council members do not live in the neighbourhood and do not understand the costs of congestion and how traffic will have an impact on this neighbourhood.
Eastern Avenue is already congested at the intersection with 15th Street and will become more congested in the future.
Jerry Zaslove
North Vancouver
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