Call it what you like - due diligence or a prelude to Let's Make a Deal - but it's clear those over at municipal hall are getting their ducks in a row in advance of a possible Southlands showdown next year.
The proposal put forward by the Century Group for its contentious Tsawwassen property is a multi-faceted one, so it only makes sense that civic officials have all the pertinent information before rendering a decision.
Residents should rightly expect those they employ at municipal hall to undertake the necessary legwork to ensure all bases have been covered.
However, this looks like it might be a case of more than just gathering information or answering questions. It strikes me Delta is positioning itself in case the upcoming decision on this project evolves into something that more resembles a negotiation.
Let's face it, Century's proposal wouldn't have got this far if there wasn't some amount of political support for it. I have heard the line many times, the one that says Delta council must consider any rezoning application, but this proposal could have been reviewed, and then shelved, years ago if that's all that was going to happen. I don't think Delta, Century or the community would have invested the time if this were merely an exercise to satisfy some legal requirement.
I'm not suggesting council members will approve what's on the table now, but I do think there's an appetite to try and find a resolution to an issue that's plagued Tsawwassen for the last 40 years. Reaching that satisfactory conclusion will undoubtedly take some nifty stick handling, which is why Delta is getting those ducks lined up.
The appraisals Delta commissioned on both the current and post-development value of the Southlands (figures Century doesn't agree with, by the way) are nice to have, but aren't of a whole lot of use unless you're looking to extract what might be considered a better deal for the community.
The legal opinions Delta received regarding its regulatory powers over farmland, particularly as they relate to greenhouses, would also come in handy in negotiations given the specter of industrial agriculture continually hangs over any development discussions.
I can certainly see why Delta is covering all angles in anticipation of what is, without overstatement, a monumental decision. After all, it only stands to reason that a complex proposal for a controversial piece of real estate isn't going to have a simple answer.
