Editor:
With regards to the debate surrounding the Century Group's proposed Southlands development, I firmly believe that neither side is capable of claiming majority support.
Statements by those in favor of the development asserting that it is the "vocal minority" that stands in opposition are as groundless as the reports to the same effect from those who oppose developing the Southlands.
Barring a plebiscite on the matter, democratic determination based on serving the true will of the majority cannot occur and we must rely on heartfelt pleas to those we have put in positions of power to render a just verdict. As the true majority cannot be ascertained, argumentation and reason are the cards on the table and we must hope our councillors and the board of Metro Vancouver make the best play with the hands they have been dealt.
The precedent that approval will set is staggering in its scope and is one that should not be taken lightly. While the concessions offered by Century Group president Sean Hodgins are admirable, what he is asking in return is of far greater import than the $9 million in irrigation and drainage upgrades and the donation of land.
If the proposal is passed, Delta will be saying to every developer that the preservation of farmland is negotiable. That is something I cannot support. This brand of spot rezoning, whatever the motivation, renders Metro Vancouver's Regional Growth Strategy and Delta's Official Community Plan farcical and powerless. Thousands of hours of staff work and public consultation will be eradicated in favour of individual applications as developers and land speculators flood the market.
The proposal, while beneficial in certain ways, flies in the face of the land use plans already in place; for that reason alone it should be defeated.
I hope, for the sake of all who call the Lower Mainland home, that Metro Vancouver has listened to reason and, if not, there is some political or legal recourse available to those who would preserve our agricultural assets and the future of our home.
Delta is ours to preserve by hand and heart; that is exactly what I intend to do.
Nicholas Wong
