More construction is expected in the rapidly changing Dominion Triangle after Port Coquitlam council approved third reading Monday for a 17-acre industrial development.
The project will provide lots for light industrial uses and includes the construction of the Fremont Connector between Lougheed Highway and Dominion Road at the developer's expense.
As part of the application, land along the Pitt River has also been dedicated to the city for park, riparian and natural area purposes.
"I think the project is interesting," PoCo Mayor Greg Moore said Monday. "I think we are pushing into some new areas of land planning here."
For years, councils have pushed for industrial development in the Dominion Triangle, which was originally taken out of the Agricultural Land Reserve to provide more industrial land to the city. But the development community was slow to respond and only began taking an interest in the 270-acre area when other uses were allowed.
Last fall, the city agreed to allow Con-West, which owns a 42-acre property in the triangle, to put a residential condo tower on half of the industrial land if it agreed to move forward with the industrial proposal first. Despite the fact the city has not finalized the approval process, Con-West has begun construction on the site.
Tony Marinelli, the company's president, told The Tri-City News he expects to have deals signed this fall that would see businesses move into the area before the end of the year.
But not all councillors were in favour of the rezoning application.
Councillors Mike Forrest and Sherry Carroll voted against the proposal, saying they did not like the idea of industrial land being used for residential properties.
Forrest said the city should work harder to protect its industrial base and the high-paying jobs that come with those kinds of developments.
"I don't believe the residential portion should be residential," he said. "I believe it should have been kept industrial."
Other councillors concurred but said approving a residential development on half the property was the only way to get the needed industrial development to go forward.
Construction of a condo tower is expected on the northeast area of the property, which can only be built after or in tandem with the industrial buildings proposed by Con-West.
Laura Lee Richard, the city's director of development services, said great care has been taken to make sure the two developments complement each other and fit in with the larger plan for the Dominion Triangle.
On top of having to build the Fremont Connector, the application also requires Con-West to create a 28-stall parking lot for users of the Traboulay-PoCo Trail, which will add separation between the industrial and residential properties.
