A proposal to build a 161-suite apartment block close to the Burquitlam Evergreen Line station will go to public hearing this month.
But Coun. Doug Macdonell said he's opposed to the plan by Mosaic Homes as neighbours don't want the development, noting, "It should be townhomes."
Macdonell was only councillor opposing the rezoning bid for 539-557 Foster Ave., which received first reading at Monday's city council meeting.The complex would complete a street block that already has multi-family homes, said Coun. Mae Reid, chair of the city's land use committee.
"I think this development will add a lot to the neighbourhood and fit in quite well," Coun. Linda Reimer said, adding, "It's important to take it to public hearing to hear from all the residents in the area."
The public hearing is slated for April 19.
LAND TALKS
The owners of a controversial property on Como Lake Avenue will meet with city staff to figure out what they can do with their land.
On Monday, city council referred their proposal instead of rejecting it, which would have put their application on hold for six months.
"If we don't do anything, we're going to just sit there with this wasteland," Coun. Mae Reid said. "If maybe we can sit down with some of the planners and come up with a compromise maybe we can do something with the property that's going to clean it up and make it better for the whole neighbourhood."
At last week's public hearing, several area homeowners complained about the proposal by the owners, Chang Suk Soh and Choong Ja Soh, to rezone the residential lot at 1649 Como Lake Ave. to commercial use. The plan is to consolidate the parcel with their commercial land directly east, beside the Chevron gas station, which used to be the site of the Harbour Mart grocery store.
Realtor David Kearney said his clients have tried to sell their land four times but, to date, have been unsuccessful; neighbours want the land to stay residential.
GREEN GROUP
Coquitlam's new advisory committee for the environment was formed this week - with some qualified people on the roster.
The nine-person group, chaired by Coun. Linda Reimer with Coun. Barrie Lynch as vice-chair, will include biologist Pamela Zevit, who has written reports on the Como Creek watershed; Pat Hibbitts, SFU's vice-president of finance and administration; and Lee Harding, president of SciWrite Environmental Services. The other members are: Sandra Baker (a biologist); Natalie Moreno (regional environmental manager of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games); Liliana Perez (SFU geography); Damian Regan (a biologist); Mark Westbury (an environmental economist); and Michael Wilson (Douglas College department chair for earth and environmental sciences).
"I'm so impressed with the calibre of this committee and their willingness to volunteer to work with us on these issues. It's inspiring and really heartening," Mayor Richard Stewart said yesterday.
First on the group's agenda for April 28 is Coun. Selina Robinson's notice of motion to ban cosmetic pesticides in the city, which council deferred last month. The last environment advisory committee was disbanded in 2008.
