Port Moody's mayor is asking B.C. Premier David Eby to rein in the city's MLA from hindering its efforts to achieve housing targets recently set for it by the provincial government.
Meghan Lahti said a recent letter sent by Port Moody–Coquitlam MLA Rick Glumac just prior to council's consideration of a rezoning application for a massive redevelopment of the Coronation Park neighbourhood had the potential "to create unnecessary fear and doubt in our community."
Lahti said Glumac's last-minute suggestion Vancouver-based developer Wesgroup Properties reduce the project's parking spaces and use the savings to add an affordable housing component to its 2,587 residential units was based on "inflated and unrealistic information" that "showed both a lack of understanding and an unwillingness to respect the process to date."
Lahti said the letter, which Glumac signed as the MLA for Port Moody–Coquitlam, could have caused further delays to the redevelopment that's already been in the works for several years and was granted an amendment to the city's official community plan in 2022.
"We believe the path chosen by MLA Glumac was a missed opportunity," she said.
"Instead of working with the community and city council, in a genuine attempt to strengthen the relationship between the province and the City of Port Moody, he opted instead to cause unnecessary division."
Brad Jones, Wesgroup's senior vice-president of development, said earlier Glumac's supposition that reducing the number of parking spaces to fund affordable housing was overly simplistic and would instead introduce additional costs that could hinder the project from proceeding as planned.
"Every month of delay for this site comes at a direct cost of over $780,000," he said, adding that money would come at the expense of the project's amenities.
Jones added timely zoning approval is necessary for the company to continue its discussions with various government agencies to gain funding for affordable units that could still become a part of the project.
On Oct. 3, after a public hearing that lasted almost three hours, council gave third reading to zoning amendments required for the project to go ahead.
But not before another last-minute manoeuvre by Coun. Haven Lurbiecki, who left the meeting after her motion to defer a decision on the rezoning application until an allegation made by a speaker during the public hearing that several members of council had attended a “private meeting” with the proponent last November could be investigated was defeated.
Lahti dismissed the accusation, saying the all members of council were invited to tour another Wesgroup project in Vancouver so they could gain a better understanding of the way the company works.
Coun. Diana Dilworth, who was one of four councillors who attended the tour, said it was "an opportunity to see some of the best case scenarios of what Coronation Park could look like."
At council a week later, Lurbiecki said the province should establish a municipal government ethics officer to act as a neutral investigator of alleged incidents of conflicts of interest, ethics violations and bullying.
"As it stands now, municipal councils are self-regulating bodies," she said.
Lurbiecki and Glumac were engaged to be married in the BC legislature in May 2022.
In her letter to the premier, Lahti said Port Moody is embracing the challenge it's been given by the province to complete construction of 1,694 new housing units — including 238 below market rental units and 466 market rental apartments — by 2028.
"I would appreciate anything that your office could do to ensure that local provincial elected officials do not hinder the city’s efforts in working towards provincial residential targets in the future," she said.
Lahti's letter to Premier David Eby
Dear Premier Eby:
This letter is in response to the September 27, 2023 correspondence received by Council from MLA Rick Glumac regarding a rezoning application that was the subject of a Public Hearing on October 3, 2023 (Attached).
For context, the subject of the letter involves a rezoning application of 59 single family properties that are in close proximity to the Inlet Centre Skytrain station. This proposed development was delayed multiple times between 2018-2022, with the previous Council ultimately rejecting a 15% affordable housing proposal, in exchange for a decrease in density on the site. Ultimately the Council approved an OCP amendment allowing for a high density transit-oriented development (TOD), which includes low-rise and high-rise buildings up to 31 storeys in height and proposes to contain: 2,587 residential units (which includes 101 purpose built rental, a minimum of 304 2 bedroom units and 12% 3 bedroom units), a minimum 9,780m2 of commercial/office space, 1.03 ha (2.54 acres) of public park space, 194 childcare spaces, and a civic facility. The rezoning application considered on October 3, 2023 is in compliance with the OCP for the site, and it meets or exceeds all City policies, in particular our Family Friendly and Inclusionary Zoning - Affordable Rental Units policies. It should be noted that throughout the process, the City has required extensive analysis to determine the feasibility of affordable housing on this site and has had discussions with the developer and BC Housing. The developer, Wesgroup, has indicated that they have had discussions with CMHC as well, and has committed, through the provision of a Letter of Intent, to returning to Council with a future zoning amendment that will provide the much needed affordable housing units to this project. It should be noted that the build-out for this project is estimated to be 15 years, with the first occupancies estimated to occur in late 2028 or early 2029. MLA Glumac is aware of all of these facts.
Let me start by saying that Port Moody fully supports the recent housing targets set to encourage the development of residential units and we have embraced the opportunity of being one of the first 10 communities identified. The City has a long history and partnership with the province in building/transforming neighbourhoods and has successfully added three transit oriented mixed use neighbourhoods (Newport Village, Suterbrook Village and Klahanie) in the Inlet Centre Municipal Town Centre prior to the construction of the Evergreen Line. In addition, the area around Moody Centre Skytrain station continues to densify with the conversion of older single family housing stock to multi-family residential units. The City has also been working with the development community to explore transportation demand initiatives to encourage active transportation near transit. As such, the Coronation Park Neighbourhood rezoning proposal includes plans for a reduction of required parking spaces, as well as, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
Community evolution and change often creates concerns for our residents and as such, it is important to ensure that residents receive accurate, non-biased information upon which they can base their view. Port Moody Council is concerned with MLA Glumac’s recent public correspondence, also copied to numerous media outlets, given its potential to create unnecessary fear and doubt in our community with respect to this project which could have led to further delays for this approval process. As outlined above, the City fully intends to further discuss affordable housing opportunities in a future application with Wesgroup. While still to be determined, this could be achieved by the addition of density on this site or through a partnership with BC Housing and/or CMHC. Having the zoning in place will provide the necessary assurances essential to securing the much-needed funding that is required to achieve our collective goal of achieving affordable housing on the site. Council welcomes these future discussions. With this said, Council supported this application on October 3, 2023 giving the subject bylaw 3 Readings.
While every resident has the right to provide their views on City initiatives and land use changes, in his letter MLA Glumac appears to be speaking on behalf of government in this instance, directly involving himself in local matters as a provincial representative, which potentially could have further delayed this rezoning application. Not only did his letter contain inflated and unrealistic information, he showed both a lack of understanding and an unwillingness to respect the process to date. In essence, we believe that the path chosen by MLA Glumac was a missed opportunity. Instead of working with the community and City Council, in a genuine attempt to strengthen the relationship between the province and the City of Port Moody, he opted instead to cause unnecessary division. I urge your staff to review the attached correspondence in addition to the video of September 12, 2023 of the Port Moody Council meeting.
I am bringing this to the attention of your office to raise concern on behalf of Council, and copying Minister Ravinder Kahlon’s office as well. I would appreciate anything that your office could do to ensure that local provincial elected officials do not hinder the City’s efforts in working towards provincial residential targets in the future.
We welcome dialogue and ongoing communication as we jointly address housing locally and regionally. Port Moody remains resolute in its commitment to being part of the solution to the housing crisis and we appreciate your consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
Meghan Lahti
Mayor
cc: Minister Ravinder Kahlon
