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Delta politicians must understand that density comes at a cost

Editor: Re: Increasing density allows all generations to live close by, Community Comment, June 8 I read Mike Schneider’s column with some interest.

Editor:

Re: Increasing density allows all generations to live close by, Community Comment, June 8

I read Mike Schneider’s column with some interest. The notion of increasing density certainly has some validity in terms of saving farmland, making transit systems more viable and community services more affordable. However, it all comes at a cost.

Whether we can actually make housing more affordable by adding more supply is questionable. I would also ask what Schneider means by “keeping our community intact.” When density is increased, it would be hard to retain our existing sense of “community.”

Crime increases, community character and identity changes, traffic is impaired and, I would suggest, more stress is inherent in life in general as we cope with higher density.

Schneider suggests these issues as well as housing costs can be addressed by an incoming Delta council. Sadly all of the slates running for council contain elements of the previous council, a council that addressed these issues by issuing building permits for 674 units at Marina Garden Estates in Ladner, 980 units at the Southlands and a 350-unit high-rise in North Delta. None of these developments dealt in any way with making housing affordable.

Any council is only as good as its planning department and the information it provides. Councillors are seldom elected for their planning ability and often have specific biases that can get in the way of planning. As well, any planning for additional density needs to be preceded by the installation of infrastructure appropriate to that density. This is generally expensive and unpopular with councils.

As a result, a planning strategy based on densification is taken on and sold to the community as good for the economy and the tax base. Less regard is given to the manner of densification or the societal issues brought on by the strategy.

Employment is limited within Tsawwassen, so we can safely assume most of the traffic from the Southlands will drive to work via 56th Street. Planned redevelopment of the Town Centre Mall will add more vehicles to our roads. The planning department has undertaken a traffic study for this development.

The traffic capacity of 56th Street limits Tsawwassen development. A viable traffic alternative needs to be developed. Until then, any development adding additional traffic to 56th Street needs to be seriously reconsidered.

Density comes at a cost. The community needs to be informed of these costs and involved with any densification strategy.

Peter van der Velden