Planning initiatives in the Burquitlam Station Neighbourhood

Let's see - we have a Transit Oriented Development Strategy or TDS.
The city as a new TDS which is a recent key initiative.  You can read the document on their website.
Among the items in this document, there is the introduction of the Community Amenity Contribution or CAC.
This brochure explains the new program but only applies if there is a rezoning or redevelopment.

In conjunction with this, there will be an update to the Burquitlam and Lougheed Neighbourhood Plans starting in early 2014.  The completion is aimed for early 2015 so it appears this will be a year long process.

It's nice to see this is finally getting going. Like the "Nevergreen line" which finally came to pass, the Burquitlam Neighbourhood Plan is long overdue and was formerly targeted for September 2013. 

Oh great - servers may be down

September 30, 2013

COMMUNITY NOTICE
Coquitlam

Temporary Power Service Disruption
for Residents at 522 Smith Avenue

Residents are advised that there will be a temporary disruption to power service on October 2 from 9 a.m. to
3 p.m. as part of ongoing utility relocation work in the area. Utility relocation work is required in advance of the
construction of the elevated guideway for the Evergreen Line Rapid Transit Project.

Crews need to temporarily shut off power to residents at 522 Smith Avenue – the Sedona condo complex – in order
to connect the underground hydro cables to the existing transformers.

Nearby residents and businesses can expect to see daytime construction activities as part of this work. Every effort
will be made to minimize noise and disruptions when possible.

To contact EGRT Construction, the contractor who is building the Evergreen Line, please call 604-927-2080,
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have comments or questions about the Evergreen Line Rapid Transit
Project, please call the Evergreen Project Office at (604) 927-4452 or email info@evergreenline.gov.bc.ca.


CONTACT US

To find out more, or to receive traffic updates:

Traffic Information Line (available 24 hours, 7 days a week):
604-927-2080
Email: info@evergreenline.gov.bc.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/evergreenline

Foster Development

Two interesting stories in the Tri-City News this week.
The first talks about the size of the Foster Development.  Apparently it is a bit bigger than planned.  It amazes me that the developers are able to do this in spite of the huge amount of opposition.  From the story in the paper:
The Vancouver-based developer Intracorp has been assembling the land over the past two years and is waiting for the go-ahead from city hall to build 107 three-storey townhomes and a 99-unit, five-storey apartment block at 514-554 Foster Ave. and 636-640 Aspen St.

So in 2011 this development was inconsistent with the OCP
In 2011, when company representatives first came before council with a pre-application for 124 townhomes, the city temporarily halted the bid, saying it was "inconsistent" with the 2002 Burquitlam Neighbourhood Plan, a visioning document expected to get updated this fall.


But in 2013, while the neighbourhood OCP is being redeveloped and will not be done until the fall, the developer is able to move in there because the old plan doesn't apply and the new one isn't done and.... say what????

And *this* is why Burquitlam needs someone in our corner on City Council.  It isn't enough to say "oh sure, we'll just write it in to the new OCP".  It takes someone standing up and saying "Wait.  Can we just take a break here for a couple of months, figure out what we want first and then move on it?"

Haven't we put the cart before the horse here?

A local resident noted how the people adjacent to the development felt:

Therese Weel of the Burquitlam Community Association said she drew up a petition in March, when the legal notices were published and letters were mailed out to affected agencies, that called for a smaller development, as put forward in the original plan.
"We canvassed the neighbourhood and ultimately collected the signatures of 29 residents living near the development," Weel told The Tri-City News. "Researching, understanding the issues, discussing the options and providing written feedback requires considerable time and effort.

Ms. Weel also noted in a separate email that 

There are homeless people living in the lane now that they have knocked some of the buildings down.

 Oh wait but somehow it is all okay, according to this second story, because the developer is going to give a bunch of money for some infrastructure.  
A new city of Coquitlam fund set up to collect developers' cash for a future recreation centre in Burquitlam will soon have $665,000 in the kitty.

The problem is the people of Burquitlam have heard this before.  In the past, with development, the money has gone to the City and then they've used it elsewhere.  So now is the time to start calling City Council and make sure they know we want it used here. If we have to have higher densification, at least we should get what the developer promises instead of having this go the neighbourhoods from which the individual council members come.

Is something missing from this picture?

Interesting to note that Intracorp Developments Ltd got approval for a 206 unit development in the Foster Ave area.  This is in the 514-554 Foster Ave, but no word on where those  people go.  The Burquitlam Community Garden will, however, be expanded.  Is that the "gimme"?  No word on increased parks, community programs, schools.  Oh wait, we have transit.  That must make it all better.  There is a public hearing set for July 22 for the rezoning application.

Received an email from the BCA strongly opposing this.  But there has been little from other members of that area.  It will be interesting to see if this gets pushed through as is, or if Intracorp will at least offer some community concessions to placate the neighbourhood.