The final build-out for Marina Garden Estates has moved a step closer to reality.
Delta council granted third reading Monday night to the development application by Captain's Cove Marina and Polygon Homes to build 674 housing units in the Ladner subdivision.
Barring a last minute change of heart from civic politicians, fourth and final reading seems just a formality.
The applicant is proposing to build 580 townhouses, 94 condos, a commercial area, a linear waterfront park and relocated golf course amenities. The plan for the final phase has met with stiff opposition from some homeowners who already reside at Marina Gardens, many of whom packed council chambers Monday.
The proposal has gone through several revisions over the past year, but it was still deemed not acceptable by opponents for several reasons, including the housing form and density.
Voting in favour, Coun. Bruce McDonald noted the initial development planned for the site dating back several decades was for manufactured homes before modifications were made in the mid-1990s to build stacked town-homes. Saying the density had already been approved, he noted the latest plan is a vast improvement over the original.
"From a council perspective, there is a legal and I believe an ethical requirement to have a hard look at that. That density was approved and has been in place for a great deal of time. From that perspective, I have a hard time saying we can try and stop this, because the developer can go back to the original plan or some modification," McDonald said.
He also said the removal of a planned pocket park in the original scheme in favour of a linear park is another improvement.
Coun. Robert Campbell agreed, saying the claim the final phase is too dense is nothing more than a red herring.
"I don't know why we sit here and talk about density and pre-tend that the density on this piece of property is going to change, whether it's this proposal or another proposal. What developer in their right mind is going to give up their right to build a certain number of units?
That's their profit, what they negotiated a long time ago," he said.
Campbell said the design of the buildings could change but the number of units is already set.
"It's beyond me to see how people can feel that this all of a sudden, if council rejects this, is going to go back to become single-family homes there," he added.
Mayor Lois Jackson also voted in favour, noting they had to base their decision on facts, not emotion. She noted council must base its decisions "to create a good community based on good plans and common sense."
Coun. Sylvia Bishop voted in opposition, noting that although the applicant has made a number of positive modifications based on feedback, the density remains a concern. She said Ladner is a unique community that shouldn't look like the Mary Hill Bypass in Coquitlam.
Coun. Ian Paton was the only other to vote in opposition, saying all residents want is to further tweak the proposal in order to have something that better fits with the surrounding neighbourhood. He likened the density on the final 13 undeveloped hectares (33 acres) to "squeezing in a hundred pounds of potatoes in a 25-pound sack."
Located off Ferry Road, the first phases of Marina Gardens were completed over two decades ago. Over the years several residential phases and a golf course were added.
The 87-hectare (217acre) site had originally been approved for 1,426 homes as well as a golf course, a 220-room hotel, a marina, a neighbourhood pub and limited commercial uses. To date, 619 housing units have been constructed, including detached single-family and duplexes, while the hotel plan has been dropped.
The proposed final phase exceeds the maximum permitted units for that remaining undeveloped portion by 65, however, the proposal would result in 133 fewer units overall than originally approved for the entire development.
Following council's vote, Polygon president Neil Chrystal told the Optimist his company will continue to listen.
"Everything that's been discussed to date has been very much conceptual and the real work begins now, coming up with more detailed plans for the community, and that will continue to include all the points we've heard to ensure we build a quality environment for the immediate neighbours and the future community, and for the greater community in Ladner and Delta," he said.
Council took the unusual step of not having a question period prior to the meeting because several residents had contacted municipal hall indicating they wanted to speak on the application. Council can't hear further submissions on applications once a public hearing is adjourned.
Prior to the start of Monday's discussion, the mayor read a statement responding to concerns that some individuals at the public hearing should not have been allowed to speak, noting under the Local Government Act councils are required to hear all submissions from the public.
Opponents to the Marina Gardens project had objected to employees of Polygon and their friends speaking in support at the hearing.
Coun. Scott Hamilton, now the MLA for Delta North, participated in part of council's agenda by phone but left when the Marina Gardens application came up because his daughter is employed by Polygon.
