An Anmore councillor says his colleagues are blindly hurtling towards a decision that will change the village “forever,” without a mandate from residents.
But Anmore Mayor John McEwen said he wants to collect “as much feedback as we can” about a proposed development by Icona Properties that could triple Anmore’s population.
Tuesday, April 1, Anmore council agreed to a timetable that could see final approval of amendments to the village’s official community plan bylaws by May 27 which would allow the development to proceed. The site would also have to be rezoned as well as win approval from Metro Vancouver to reclassify it from rural to urban.
The timetable includes:
- a community survey
- consideration of the development proposal by Anmore’s committees, to be conducted in a workshop format
- consideration of the development proposal by Anmore’s finance committee
- an open house in late April for residents to learn about the proposals specific’s, with the proponent and experts in attendance
- rescind previous first and second reading of the necessary bylaw amendments that was given in Dec., 2023, followed by first and second reading of new bylaw amendments on May 6
- public hearing on May 26 with the possibility of extending it to the next night, prior to council’s consideration of third reading for the bylaw amendments
But Coun. Doug Richardson said the process is moving too fast, especially as several technical reports that would provide detailed information about Icona’s development plans and its impacts on traffic, roads, emergency services, water and sewer services, as well as the surrounding environment, have yet to be released for public viewing.
“If this takes until December, who cares,” he said. “If you want backlash, it will be coming full force if you try and do anything like this.”
Richardson also said the planned survey fails to address the fundamental question whether Anmore’s residents even want such a large development.
“I don’t understand why this is not a question we’re allowed to ask the residents we represent” Richardson said.
But Coun. Kim Trowbridge said that ship has already sailed.
“I think we’re way beyond asking the question,’ do you want this or not?’” he said. “That’s been litigated multiple times for multiple years.”
Communications consultant Therese Mickelson, whose firm is designing the survey, said its intent is to gather feedback about the development’s specific components based upon a neighbourhood plan that was endorsed by council last November.
“It’s not a referendum,” she said. “All of this is intended to inform council about where the community is at with some of these key changes.”
The neighbourhood plan envisions the construction of up to 2,200 new homes on the 150-acre property owned by Icona at the corner of 1st Avenue and Sunnyside Road. The homes would be comprised of a mix of townhouses, low-rise apartments and single-family residences on small lots, along with space for a park, commercial area and recreation centre.
That’s somewhat less than Icona’s initial proposal to build 3,300 new homes the company presented to council in 2023, following several years of its own engagement process that included a glossy brochure, along with several public meetings to solicit ideas from the community.
Planning consultant Tim Savoie, who recently retired as city manager for Port Moody, said the public is free to provide comment on the development proposal right up to and including the public hearing.
McEwen said residents are also welcome to attend the committee meetings that will discuss the specifics of Icona’s proposal.
“I’m trying to get a path here.”
Coun. Polly Krier said the need for Anmore to diversify its housing stock is paramount.
“I think we as a council have discussed the need for diversity of housing,” she said. “I don’t think we need to get into those bigger issues.”
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