Editor:
The Delta council meeting held last Monday surely illustrated the need for members to go back to drama school.
We have become used to seeing council and staff play up to the television broadcast at each meeting. It is probably inevitable that politicians wish to project a good image to the voters, but bad acting can be counterproductive. When discussing the approval of a development off Arthur Drive in Ladner, we saw and heard that most members of council, and the mayor, professed "concerns" about the very high density of the layout that includes the use of coach houses and townhomes, most of which will be bare-land strata properties subject to strata maintenance fees.
As council members spoke it became obvious that despite paying lip service to the future problems likely to be caused by excessive density, they were going to approve the development. There was no attempt to discuss the need for a bare-land strata development, or even to justify it. The council staff presentation did not even refer or explain why it was necessary.
It has become obvious this council is determined to accept whatever developers wish with regard to very high density. Coun. Ian Paton was a lone voice in questioning the need for this to happen on Arthur Drive. He said he had expected higher densities to be confined to the centre of Ladner.
The message is very clear: Do not expect this council to refuse high densities in infill areas, and to query the use of bare-land strata designation to achieve that.
Do not expect this council to take note of many legitimate representations at public hearings.
Peter Duffey
