School starts again this week, but it sure feels like February. You know, Groundhog Day.
The Southlands: Here we go again.
In one form or another, we've been talking about this round for over five years, and I'm not sure if we are getting any closer to a decision. We've had a couple of polls, both formal and informal, that had very similar results - about twothirds of people don't want to see development proceed.
Tomorrow night was supposed to be the municipality's turn to have its public information session, but it was postponed until more information could be shared with the various stakeholder groups. I went to the Delta council meeting the night civic politicians reviewed the feedback from the stakeholders. A few had submitted responses, but it seemed the majority wanted more information.
Apparently they haven't had a chance to review and respond to any new information, understandable given the time of year. So the session has been postponed, which I believe is a good decision.
I must say, I am very impressed with Century's handling of this project. It has hired good people to help with the designs and communications. The plans are well laid out and very professionally presented. Enbridge could learn a thing or two from this campaign.
And now, the pièce de résistance, a show home at Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall. I haven't been inside yet, but I'm sure it's beautiful. To me, though, that's where the irony comes in.
It's a house where a house doesn't really belong. That kind of sums up the issue to me.
The long and short of it is, this is getting really tiring, and serves no one well. The public gets all uptight about it.
The municipality is spending a pile of our tax dollars both directly and in staff time on this. Century has probably secured a nice retirement of some of its suppliers with all the changes, re-drafts and revi-sions.
My biggest concern is the proposal to change to the Official Community Plan. Given that the ink wasn't dry on the Tsawwassen Area Plan, and a major change was allowed for a six-storey building where only three was designated, I don't believe there's a lot of trust floating around these days.
Even if we had the information session, it seems like an all or nothing option. The only way we can put this whole thing behind us is to get the land into public hands, without handing taxpayers a big maintenance headache.
So here's another proposal: Don't change the OCP for the whole property, but only a portion of it to be developed, and re-draw the property lines where needed.
Design a new plan that put houses and people closer to the current infrastructure of the town instead of creating a second town centre.
And give the rest of the land to Delta as is, to be changed as the public sees fit. Let's float a proposal like this and see what kind of reaction comes back from the public.
It's time to come to an agreement that we can all live with and get on with it.
