Delta residents packed Metro Vancouver headquarters in Burnaby yesterday in a bid to express their views, yet again, on the contentious development proposal for the Southlands.
Supporters and opponents jammed a public hearing hoping to convince regional directors the plan for the 214-hectare (537-acre) Tsawwassen property is either innovate and positive or one that should be shelved because it fails to comply with the Regional Growth Strategy.
Green T-shirt-clad supporters of the Century Group proposal arrived in Burnaby early, claiming most of the seats in the chamber and the initial slots on the speakers list. The crowd was so large many were forced to watch the proceedings on closed circuit TV.
Brent Kelly, who is currently farming the land, was the first speaker and described major irrigation problems, including losing $75,000 due to heavy rain.
"While the ducks and the geese are very happy swimming around and eating the potatoes, my banker is not," Kelly said. "Please remember it's not our responsibility to feed the public's ducks and geese."
Southlands the Facts spokesperson Richard Kunz was one of the few opponents to address the Metro board early on, warning directors that approving the application would unleash an unprecedented land grab by speculators and developers.
Century Group is proposing to build 950 housing units on 20 per cent of the site, while 80 per cent would be given to Delta. Much of the land to go to the municipality would be used for farming, the company promising to pay millions for drainage and irrigation upgrades.
The latest plan has many opponents who made their feelings known at a fiveday municipal public hearing last fall, but it also has many supporters, making it an issue that has divided the community. The proposal received conditional approval from Delta council but Metro's blessing is also required.
Opponents warn of a dangerous precedent being set if farmland is acquired in exchange for other agricultural land being paved over. Supporters insist the property has always been a challenge to farm and that the Century plan would finally bring the land into production.
If there were still speakers to be heard at the end of yesterday's session, the hearing was scheduled to reconvene today at 1 p.m.
