West Vancouver residents are at risk of losing their neighbourhoods to big business developers.
At the next council meeting on Monday, Nov. 28, council could be making a landmark decision that would allow a developer to cram more structures beside or atop already developed property.
The problem with allowing in-fill construction at a site like 195 21st St. is that developers will not stop there.
They will soon over-saturate all of the remaining open space carefully guarded by previous councils and create a long wall of contiguous buildings along the Ambleside corridor, eventually spreading to other neighbourhoods and blocking glorious views, sunlight, and ocean breezes.
Council is debating an amendment which will allow just that, and they’re proceeding recklessly because of what they believe is a lack of available rental housing in West Vancouver.
Most readers know that West Vancouver has available rental vacancies at any given month. The problem is the cost of those rentals.
Regrettably, building new rental stock in West Vancouver will not change the market value rates of new suites.
In fact, new suites will be more expensive because of new fixtures and amenities. Developers know that. Council knows that. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. knows that as well.
What you may not know, however, is that developers can suggest a donation of a large sum of money to the municipality, known as the community amenity contribution, in hopes that council will relax bylaws that block a developer from building what would otherwise not be in line with the official community plan. Such contributions can exceed $1 million.
Nevertheless, since increasing rental units will not create more affordable suites, council should not allow profit-driven corporations to destroy the beauty of West Vancouver by sidestepping our bylaws. They are there for a reason.
Please come and voice your opposition on Monday Nov. 28, 6 p.m. at the West Vancouver municipal hall at 750 17th St.
Don Barry
West Vancouver
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