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LETTER: District's decision to disallow Edgemont condo development baffles

Dear Editor: I write concerning District of North Vancouver council’s Nov. 19 decision to disallow the construction of a 25-unit condominium development on Ridgewood Drive in Edgemont Village.
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Dear Editor:

I write concerning District of North Vancouver council’s Nov. 19 decision to disallow the construction of a 25-unit condominium development on Ridgewood Drive in Edgemont Village.

I served as chair of the working group that drafted the Edgemont Village Plan and Design Guidelines in 2014. We worked for over a year, with extensive public input, and the village plan was adopted by a unanimous vote of council.

Several proposals have resulted. With two major developments now underway on opposite sides of the village’s main street, “construction fatigue” is setting in. Residents and merchants are fed up with the dislocation of two large projects at once.

Fortunately, while the Ridgewood proposal complies fully with the village plan, the developer has agreed to wait until the two current developments are done. As well, this project would be off the main street.

The public hearing showed broad support, provided that the project’s commencement is delayed. Council passed the proposal for the final bureaucratic steps. With the public hearing and council approvals complete, only fourth reading remained. On council’s being shown that all i’s are dotted and t’s crossed, the rubber stamp comes out.

Halting a project at this late stage is unheard of. But our new council did just that. Couns. Mathew Bond and Jordan Back spoke in favour of the motion to approve, though not until occupancy permits are issued for the two current developments. Coun. Betty Forbes was opposed, partly because the units will be expensive, but largely on the basis that too much is happening in the village too fast. The mayor and the other councillors said nothing. The vote was 5-2 against. The whole thing was done in six minutes flat.

Why did the silent ones vote no? Because of construction fatigue? Are the units too expensive? Is the project too big? Are multi-family developments no longer cool?

Four new monster homes are about all that can happen under the current zoning. Do they think that will be better for the community? Did they know of the support at the public hearing?

Perhaps most importantly, is the freshly minted village plan now effectively repealed? Indeed, are the new members of council even aware that there is a village plan? We have no idea.

The former council approved it. New council has taken the unprecedented step of killing it at fourth reading, practically without discussion.

We are entitled to know why.

Adrian Chaster
North Vancouver

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