The Editor,
Port Moody is considering an amendment to its official community plan concerning the Coronation Park neighbourhood. Working versions have always had a “no orphaned lots” clause. What is an “orphaned lot?”
Port Moody’s senior city planner, Alex Taylor, wrote last October: “The term ‘orphaned lot’ usually refers to a contiguous parcel of land that is left out of a larger adjacent redevelopment proposal. For Coronation Park, our intention is to only consider redevelopment if an appropriate lot consolidation can be arranged, and if one or more redevelopment proposals leave out a single adjacent lot, they would not be considered. The objective of such a policy is for the city to only consider redevelopment proposals when all landowners in a section or block are ready or have sold. If approved, it would be a policy in the OCP for Coronation Park.”
Mr. Taylor made it sound that the aim of the requirement to avoid orphaned lots in any redevelopment of established neighbourhoods is to respect the current residents who do not wish to move.
But the amended OCP reads: “To ensure that sites are not ‘orphaned,’ rezoning applicants shall demonstrate that any sites ‘left behind’ can be reasonably developed with consideration for building massing, underground parking and project economics.”
Consideration of lots “left behind” centres around whether such lots can eventually be assimilated into the proposed new developments. If they can, they’re not orphans.
So somebody who doesn’t agree to the assimilation — i.e., the sale and destruction of their home — at the time of consolidation/assembly would be stuck living next to whatever is built, plus the developer probably wouldn’t care to pay much for the property later if it’s for something such as parking — their money would already have been made.
The definition of “orphaned lot” means that a developer will just have to claim to have a plan in place for any lot that would be “left behind” and there simply will be no orphaned lots.
So much for a 30-year timeline for redevelopment and any pretence of sensitivity to those of us who wish to remain in our homes. The amended OCP for Coronation Park runs roughshod over anybody who does not want to sell. It is tantamount to expropriation by OCP.
And your neighbourhood could be next.
Jill McIntosh, Port Moody
