A local resident’s group has formed seeking a rejection of the proposed six-storey mixed-use development application at the current Dunbar Lumber site on Elliott Street in Ladner.
The Friends of Ladner Village - a Delta community group – is requesting that Delta council rejects the current proposal as the group says it drastically changes the look and feel of the Ladner Village core.
According to a news release issued to the Optimist Monday, The Friends of Ladner Village are canvassing the community, circulating a petition and urging residents to immediately write to [email protected] with their comments by this Sunday, Jan. 22.
“Although we acknowledge the need for waterfront development and access to accessible, affordable housing as per the new Official Community Plan guidelines, this project does not in our opinion, meet these requirements,” says Friends of Ladner Village spokesman, Brian Webb.
The Friends of Ladner Village have a number of revision requests to the application which includes:
- A reduction of overall height and density (six storey’s is too high and too many units)
- A revision to the building form and scale (loss of heritage feel and vertical encroachment)
- An overall downtown core traffic study and how this site impacts that study prior to approval
- A traffic/parking study must also include a real life parking requirement that accounts for surrounding resident parking to access local businesses
- No relaxation of visitor parking or resident parking requirements
- No relaxation of DDC (development costs) or in cash lieu/amenity contribution funds from the developer
- A public hearing on final design to discuss all the above points in detail prior to approval.
“The interests of the developer are being catered to rather than those of the community,” adds Ladner resident Bev Yaworski. “There is a failure to consider history in this design with a push for density over a good heritage design and the wishes of the community-at-large, who care deeply about their Village.”
Residents can attend a Tuesday, Jan. 17 public information meeting on this proposal from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Ladner Community Centre.
To contact Friends of Ladner Village email: [email protected].
