The future of the Southlands is the most controversial issue for the eight candidates in the upcoming municipal by-election.

The Optimist asked each candidate, vying for the vacant council seat in the Sept. 18 race, their positions on the Tsawwassen property that has dominated the headlines in South Delta this year.

The candidates were asked for their views on the development proposal put forward by the Century Group, which includes a mix of housing and urban agriculture, and the future of the land.

Amy Ghuman Sara said ` believes leadership and vision are required to deal with the Southlands.

"The Southlands issue is a symptom of a larger question: What is going to be the future of not only Tsawwassen, but of Delta?

"It will take leadership and vision to deal with how the issue of the use of designated agricultural land for potentially non-agricultural use will impact Delta for the next 50 years and beyond, not merely today. Simply saying no to development, so that you may acquire some votes, is not leadership; and it lacks vision," she said.

Sylvia Bishop has already clearly voiced her opposition to housing on the Southlands, saying the land should never have been removed from the ALR.

Saying politics is to blame for its removal from the reserve, Bishop believes the Southlands has several options, including being a place to train the next generation of soil-based farmers.

"The young farmers I've spoken to talk about how expensive it is to purchase farmland. No wonder when we keep developing it."

Peter Harms, meanwhile, said he thoroughly reviewed the Century Group proposal and believes it's the right development for the community, providing much needed housing for seniors and young families as well as improving the soil quality on parts of the site to bring the land back into agricultural production.

"The traffic increase argument against it, quite frankly, is a deflective argument. It may well increase a little bit here and there, but not to the degree that the plan is not justified," he said.

Saying the Century Group proposal has clearly divided Tsawwassen, Ian Paton said he's bothered by seeing the land go fallow if it can be turned productive.

Paton, who said his family has been pro-active in saving Delta farmland, agreed to at least look at any proposal.

As far as the talk of potential trade-off, which would see a large area upgraded for soil-based farming in exchange for housing, Paton said council must consider any development application without preconceived bias.

"One concern I have is that this property provides no irrigation water, which is essential to today's soil-based farmers. Few, if any, Delta farmers have shown interest in renting or leasing this property for farming purposes."

Kathleen Higgins said she's opposed to allowing housing on agricultural land and additional housing can be introduced with infill redevelopment.

"If you redevelop the Southlands, it's not going to be affordable housing, it will be luxury townhomes. I'm in favour of innovation to use present residential land more wisely so we take the pressure off farmland and also natural areas," she said.

The majority of residents would like to see the Southlands back in the ALR, she said.

Maria DeVries said every proposal should be considered in light of how it will affect South Delta as a whole.

Unfortunately, she noted, South Delta does not have an up-to-date plan that outlines what residents may envision for the community in the coming decades.

Without an official plan, which should include a transportation plan and an agricultural plan, Delta can only react to proposals instead of guiding them, DeVries said.

Once a master plan is established, proposals like the Southlands would be evaluated and discussed in light of the overall plan, she added.

Sandeep Pandher said the long-term vision of the property should also reflect the long-term needs and desires of the community.

"That's the level of debate we need to have. We need to have it in a non-hostile fashion where we can resolve, 'This is what we want as a community and Mr. Landowner, this is how we'd like to work with you to get to that point.'"

Ray Robinson said his biggest concern is that such a development could be considered without first having a discussion on how to add the additional social infrastructure, including more recreational amenities, that would be needed and who will pay for it.