Harbourside public hearing expected soon – North Shore Outlook

Harbourside public hearing expected soon – North Shore Outlook.

Quoting in part:

Concert Properties’ and Knightsbridge Properties’ 10-year plan for Harbourside is to create 800 strata and rental housing units, while setting aside 372,000 square feet as commercial space.

Clark, a stark opponent of the development proposal, told council too much is unknown about the plans to send it to a public hearing.

“I, as a council member, can’t point to exactly what’s going on, so how can the public?” questioned Clark.

Bookham echoed Clark’s sentiments and added her own concerns.

“And I have to say, in all my time on council, I have never seen a development proposal that is so challenged by the context in which it’s located,” said Bookham.

She said introducing a new residential development that is far from a transportation corridor doesn’t make sense.

“I don’t know why, and have never understood why, we have made such exception for this particular proposal when we have had such a long-standing pattern that our community has for the most part supported,” said Bookham. “It makes sense to increase density where the option of public transit already exists and can be built upon.”

Speaking to the transit issue, Coun. Linda Buchanan said Marine Drive is a five-minute walk away from the proposed development. She reminded council the current Official Community Plan states neighbourhoods should be created where residents will have a five- to 10-minute walk to any transit line.

“So this is not unrealistic for this particular project,” said Buchanan

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