Is it real, a threat or a little bit of both?
That’s the question a spokesperson for the group Concerned Citizens of Delta South posed for city council on Monday during a workshop on a reported plan by a Tsawwassen farm property owner to construct an “industrial” greenhouse in close proximity to a residential neighbourhood.
Kelsey Spring asked whether the end game was to have housing built there, which highlights how land speculation is in play on local farmland.
Spring and other members of the group were at city hall to convey concerns about what could be really in store for the 45-plus acre (18 hectare) farm in the 5700-block of 6th Avenue, formerly referred to as the Guichon property but now owned by a numbered company. It’s immediately east of the Forest by the Bay subdivision and adjacent to the Southlands and Beach Grove Golf Club. It’s zoned agricultural but not in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
The owner indicated a greenhouse complex would be constructed but the City of Delta imposed a stop work order on site clearing because the proper permits, including one for soil deposit, wasn’t in place.
Adding to the concern is that the property was listed for sale for $23.8 million, described as a rezoning opportunity to residential. It sold just a few years ago for $12.5 million, far exceeding its assessed value as agriculturally zoned piece farmland.
“It seems unlikely that open-air, soil-based farming, or farming of any kind, is sustainable on this land,” Spring said.
The group is asking Delta for several “tactical” steps including applying to have the property placed into the ALR, all with the aim of preserving the property for open–air farming.
At this point, there’s no application submitted to build a greenhouse, but applications for a soil deposit permit and to build a residence have been submitted.
Delta's environment manager Mike Brotherston, who visited the site, said a formal site assessment from a qualified environmental professional will be required, while the province could get involved if the ditch, which could be considered a watercourse, is to be altered.
A stop work order was imposed by the city in June
Noting a report will be coming to council, community planning director Marcy Sangret said the priority now is for the landowner to restore the site and remediate a ditch that had been filled before the stop work order was imposed.
Several issues, meantime, need to be clarified including a legal opinion whether an order-in-council which limited the city’s bylaw powers over the ALR also applies to farm properties that are not within the provincial farm reserve. Sangret noted that, so far, Delta has made bylaw changes in conjunction with the province for farmland in and outside the ALR.
Delta’s ability to restrict uses that are not compatible with homes in close proximity and edge planning also need to be clarified.
Bylaw manager Hugh Davies said the owner has been cooperating and has given no indication the plan is to grow cannabis at the site. Cities have recently been granted the ability from the province to regulate where cannabis operations can set up, although that power doesn’t extend to the ALR. That means Tsawwassen property would most likely not be able to grow pot, according to staff.
During council’s discussion, Bruce McDonald noted building a proper commercial-scale greenhouse “is not trivial” in that it would be an expensive undertaking. He asked staff if a development permit is submitted, can the city require a full-fledged facility and not something constructed with lumber and plastic sheets.
Mayor Lois Jackson wondered about the difficulty of applying to put the property back in the ALR if the owner puts up a fight. Commending the citizen group for showing a willingness to take their fight to the highest level, Jackson also pointed out how the city in the late 90’s went to court in an attempt to regulate greenhouses, only to lose.
Coun. Robert Campbell warned an unintended consequence of getting the property into the ALR could be that certain rights could become enshrined and much more difficult to challenge. Spring answered laws can be changed and legislation amended through the political process as well as pressure from citizens' groups.
Concerned Citizens of Delta South’s website is at www.ccods.ca.
