A proposal to revitalize Ladner Village is met with resistance from some residents who say the city of Delta wants buildings that are too tall for the area.
Delta has been working on a plan to “reactivate” the riparian zone for several years and, according to Coun. Dylan Kruger, has the support of 65 percent of residents, along with the Delta Chamber of Commerce and the Ladner Business Association.
“As you see the boardwalk today, most of it is inaccessible. It’s fenced off, there are older buildings and rubble that actually (impedes) the residents’ ability to access the water, ”he told Global News.
Read more:
Ladner residents say the city ignored complaints about film crews
“This plan is really about finally restoring access to water, bringing connection by expanding our open space, expanding our park space, new waterfront trails that can be incorporated into the levee system, and also more business, bringing in people. here with more cafes and restaurants. “
Most of what Kruger is releasing is indisputable. He was vice chair of the Ladner Village Renovation Committee.
But there is one element of the plan opposed by a group of residents: the concession of several six-story buildings in Ladner Village.
Brian Webb of Ladner Village Concerned Citizens said he supports the revitalization and densification of the village. He likes the parts of the plan aimed at preserving heritage and improving access to the sea.
However, Webb’s group has collected 600 signatures on a petition opposing the proposal, which they plan to present to Delta’s board on Tuesday.
“It’s just saying six stories, we think it’s too high. Four is acceptable, ”Webb said.
“We’ve seen developments that are too high in places like White Rock, but if you go to the town of Steveston, I think the maximum in some of the areas is four and it looks great. It’s a vibrant boardwalk, it’s still historic nature, and it still has that really cool town feel. “
Webb argued that the six-story buildings would be out of scale and out of character with the village, and would cast significant shadows.
He said the group is also concerned about the strain on public infrastructure from adding so many new residents to the village.
Kruger understands residents’ concerns, but says independent experts told the city that the plan would not be economically viable without some six-story developments.
“In fact, the vast majority of Ladner Village would stay in that three to four story range, but there were some parcels that were identified for as many as six because that was what was determined to be necessary to achieve revitalization.
“We can have a great plan on paper, but unless someone comes to build it, nothing really happens. Developers are not going to go in and lose money on a piece of land. “
Read more:
Ladner, BC, Dad Builds a Backyard Dream Ice Rink
Kruger said the key issue is soil stability. Developers cannot build underground parking.
That means up to two floors of a project will need to be dedicated to parking, leaving only two floors of a four-story project available for sale or rent.
“This is the plan that we have put in place, which is a compromise (versus) continuing to have stagnation and decline in this area,” he said. “There is always a commitment to change.”
The revitalization plan, if approved, could take up to 20 years to complete.
Delta’s council will meet Tuesday to discuss changing the city’s official community plan to allow residential and commercial buildings of up to six stories in the historic town.
Reference-globalnews.ca