West Vancouver residents fight Capilano Bridge

[Rusty Gull]

West Van wants limits on tourist attraction

Munisha Tumato
North Shore News

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

WEST Vancouver residents who live on the west side of the Capilano Suspension Bridge are telling their neighbours in the District of North Vancouver just what they think should be allowed and not allowed at the tourist attraction that falls within North Vancouver's boundaries.

In particular, West Vancouver wants restrictions on how much building can take place on the west side of the bridge, plus further controls on traffic and noise from the site.

While the suspension bridge is within the District of North Vancouver, residents of West Vancouver's Moyne Drive told council Monday night they've been dealing with traffic driving through their neighbourhood to access the bridge for the past five years. Construction vehicles and garbage trucks going to the suspension bridge through a small, unpaved road that runs between two houses have created excessive noise, they said. The West Vancouver residents also voiced concern over the District of North Vancouver's proposed bylaw change that would rezone the Capilano Suspension Bridge site to potentially allow more buildings including restaurants, patios, kiosks and offices at the site. The latest proposal would allow the suspension bridge business to build up to five times more floor space on the west side than the current 1,000 square feet.

At Monday's meeting, however, West Vancouver council agreed to request that floor space on the west side be restricted to only 1,500 square feet. Council also asked the District of North Vancouver to restrict traffic going through the Moyne Drive neighborhood to emergency vehicles only and recommended that the green, park space west of the river -- owned by Metro Vancouver -- be rezoned as park land rather than its current entertainment and commercial zoning. At the request of residents, council also asked that a provision be added disallowing amplified outdoor sound in the area.

Steve Jones, a representative of Capilano Suspension Bridge, told council he felt the response from West Van residents to the bylaw amendment was "a bit of an overreaction." Jones said the bylaw change had been initiated by the District of North Vancouver rather than the suspension bridge, and was simply in response to the bylaw "brought about erroneously" in 1995 that rendered many of the buildings at the site non-conforming.

Jones added the Capilano Suspension Bridge didn't have any current plans to build anything or allow customers to enter via the west side of the river. "Our plan is to have the ability to make plans," said Jones, citing as an example the possibility of building an "explorers cabin" for kids. He said that would be impossible if the district allowed only 500 extra square feet of floor space on the west side of the river.

Council passed the request for changes to the bylaw, although Coun. John Clark voiced some concern that West Vancouver may be overstepping its authority by making sweeping recommendations to a neighbouring government. A public hearing on the issue was set to be held by the District of North Vancouver Tuesday night, after press deadlines.
© North Shore News 2008

[AKA-007]

West Vancouver complains about everything. They won't allow Tim Hortons into their municipality because it will "change their image." If North Vancouver district wants to change their zoning, let them. It's not in the capacity of West Vancouver to deny them the ablilty to manage their own community and lands. Those residents are just being picky about it.

[vanman]

^It's funny how the richer people are, the more they bitch. It should be the other way around.

[Nutterbug]

West Vancouver complains about everything. They won't allow Tim Hortons into their municipality because it will "change their image."

Why are Starbucks, McD's and KFC's okay, but not Tim's?

Does Starbucks have some kind of deal worked out with city councillors or something?

[nathan6969]

hahahha, we managed to get rid of kfc, and push mcdonalds all the way to park royal...

[Nutterbug]

hahahha, we managed to get rid of kfc, and push mcdonalds all the way to park royal...

Free market capitalists...only when it suits them.

[nathan6969]

^^Is there any other way...

[osirisboy]

theres nothing wrong with what they're doing. they are merely requesting something from north van. theres no harm in asking.

i love west van :)

[LeftCoaster]

Thank god the KFC is gone... it was replaced by a pretty menial building though.

Tim Hortons in West Van wouldnt do well, most people here think they are above it... it would just turn into a hang out for high school kids who dont spend much money and just loiter.

[Nutterbug]

Thank god the KFC is gone... it was replaced by a pretty menial building though.

Tim Hortons in West Van wouldnt do well, most people here think they are above it... it would just turn into a hang out for high school kids who dont spend much money and just loiter.

They should at least make the Park Royal area an all goes zone, where fast food chain shops for the common people can set up.

And even rich West Vanners might want to hit up a Timmy Ho's if they're up at 3 am, no?

[cornholio]

If I would have some political power i would put a cap on inheritances of no more then twice the average yearly income at the time of the inheritance. I would also give a opportunity to any family to purchase any valuables, property, things that were confiscated. Confiscated things, property and money would then be redistributed evenly to everyone.
I have no problem with someone being a billionaire or just filthy rich as long as they have earned it them selves. What I do have a problem with is people who have inherited huge sums of money or just much more money then the average person and live a life full of reward that they have not earned, living rich is suposed to be a goal and motivating factor not something you just get born with. Its a sickness to the people and to society.
My point being this is why extremely wealthy neighborhoods such as west van have a much higher then average occurance of mental illnesses, a fact that is generally swept under the rug for obvious reasons. It generally isnt the ones who earned their money and came up from the trenches who are mentally sick and unable to relate to generally society, but its the ones who have inherited more money then most others and grew up in a life of privelage, respect due to wealth where respect isnt warranted, and just plain spoiled that are sick. Do people who are sick in the head know their sick in the head, sometimes, but not when they grew up thinking their a higher class and above everyone else because then they think their ways are normal while funnily enough think that actually most society is sick, they reinforce this fact due to the fact that they live soroundend by others with their sickness. This is the problem with a place like west van, and I could fix it.:)
A spoiled person is the worst type of person, rewarding a person for no reason or accomplishment is the best way to make a spoiled person. A spoiled person is self centered and thinks the world revolve around them. People who inherit lots of money, but really accomplish nothing get rewarded for no reason, becoming spoiled and as a result self centered and thinking the world revolves around them. Its so simple and true.;)

[jlousa]

If they were to impose a inheritance tax I would move all my money overseas as would almost everyone else that had a sizable worth, it would destroy the economy as there would be less incentive to build a fortune. The reason some people work so hard is to leave their children a good life. Sure it might ruin some people, that's not to say it's not fair though. Giving the money to society isn't any more fair, did they work for it? We have enough socialist policies as it is.

[cornholio]

Didnt destroy the economy in the country I used to live in;) People are motivated to pass on their genes, that means providing your offspring with the best possible chance of survival. Being wealthy still allows you to give them a significant advantage but not being able to pass on the entire wealth will force you to take that much more care in raising them and not relying on money fixing all problems. A Paris Hilton doesnt need to be raised or educated, she just needs some good financial advisor's to take care of her money and take a small cut off of the exponential profits her fortune makes. If this fortune wasnt passed on to her then I can almost guarantee you she would of ended up being a better person as her parents family would of taken that much more care in raising her to be a positive contributor to society. In any case giving the money back to society is fair, it is like returning the prize to be reclaimed by a new winner instead of allowing it to be continually claimed by the descendants of a winer. Moving money out of the country would be almost impossible though moving wealth in would stop and sure that would be a problem. Anyways its just a dream and hardly socialist in my opinion, it doesnt prop anyone up rather keep things fair adds alot more motivation overall to society...infact its more or less inline with a capitalistic model.

[Nutterbug]

Didnt destroy the economy in the country I used to live in;) People are motivated to pass on their genes, that means providing your offspring with the best possible chance of survival. Being wealthy still allows you to give them a significant advantage but not being able to pass on the entire wealth will force you to take that much more care in raising them and not relying on money fixing all problems. A Paris Hilton doesnt need to be raised or educated, she just needs some good financial advisor's to take care of her money and take a small cut off of the exponential profits her fortune makes. If this fortune wasnt passed on to her then I can almost guarantee you she would of ended up being a better person as her parents family would of taken that much more care in raising her to be a positive contributor to society. In any case giving the money back to society is fair, it is like returning the prize to be reclaimed by a new winner instead of allowing it to be continually claimed by the descendants of a winer. Moving money out of the country would be almost impossible though moving wealth in would stop and sure that would be a problem. Anyways its just a dream and hardly socialist in my opinion, it doesnt prop anyone up rather keep things fair adds alot more motivation overall to society...infact its more or less inline with a capitalistic model.

It's extra government intervention, social engineering and arguable theft.

It's great if we could all race from the same start line, but freedom is too valuable to compromise for it.

[SpongeG]

isn't there a tim hortons inside park royal?

[Nutterbug]

theres nothing wrong with what they're doing. they are merely requesting something from north van. theres no harm in asking.

i love west van :)

They're within that income bracket that gives them the right to be NIMBY. ;)

[LeftCoaster]

isn't there a tim hortons inside park royal?

No, not yet at least. There is one just a short drive over in North Van, it generally serves its purpose for WV residents with the craving for a really mediocre donout... and its open 24hr too.

[thedjraw]

Suspension Bridge Growth Approved

Administrative error blamed for restrictive zoning structure

Raphael Lopoukhine, North Shore News
Published: Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Facilities at Capilano Suspension Bridge were given the go-ahead to expand to more than six times their current size at a Monday meeting of District of North Vancouver council.

Under the new zoning parameters, CSB will have the right to developed from its current 12,000-square-foot size to 80,000 square feet -- nearly the size of a Canadian football field -- with a maximum building footprint of 60,000 square feet.

Despite the scale of the change, CSB has no immediate plans to build any structures beyond those they need for their growing staff, which has doubled since 2003, said operations manger Christina Simpson.

From the start of the lengthy rezoning process, including three full evenings of public hearings, the district has said that a new zoning classification for CSB was needed to make up for an error made in a 1995 overhaul of commercial and industrial zones. The 1995 restructuring ended up restricting CSB's accessory floor space, which includes lockers for employees and offices for management.

Under the 1995 zoning structure, CSB would also have had the right to build a massive structure covering 275,850 square feet of their property. Simpson said the reduction to 80,000 is a major compromise on their behalf.

The issue was the focus of significant controversy at Monday's meeting. Councillor Lisa Muri strongly disagreed with the move, lambasting her colleagues for giving CSB so much developable space without having to present a single design.

"If 80,000 square feet for the Stibbard family and the Capilano Suspension Bridge is such a great thing for the community, why is it so difficult to bring forward a rezoning application and show the community what 80,000 square feet is going to look like?" she said. "We look at apartment complexes that are a fraction of the size of this and we put them through a rigorous process, but because of an error, I am supposed to give away the farm."

The debate became heated as Muri's two allotted speaking sessions ended, and she continued denouncing the actions of the council despite the mayor's efforts to move on to the next speaker. The heated exchange prompted a handful of CSB's neighbours opposed to the rezoning to applaud, breaking with council's rules of decorum. One gentleman in a business suit seated next to residents from West Vancouver was asked to leave after yelling out: "Is this a dictatorship or a democracy?"

In his almost three years in office, Mayor Richard Walton said he has never had to ask someone to leave council's chambers because of their behaviour.

The rezoning passed the District of North Vancouver 5-2 with Couns. Lisa Muri and Doug MacKay Dunn in opposition. The new bylaw also allows for 5,000 square feet of development on the west side of Capilano River. Outdoor customer service areas must be 30 metres from land designated as residential, and 207 parking space are required.

Also included in the new bylaw are provisions stipulating that the owner of the lot zoned C5A could, if they no longer wanted to be an outdoor tourist attraction, build a bowling alley, dance hall, skating rink, curling rink, recreation club, theatre, auditorium, concert hall, art gallery, drive-in theatre or billiard hall along with an accompanying restaurant and shops covering 60 per cent of the lot area. They would only need development permits; no rezoning would be required.

Complicating the issue is another apparent error from the same era: in 1995, CSB was allegedly not appropriately notified of the changes to their zoning class. The legal ramifications of that were not immediately clear.

"An issue rose as to whether or not appropriate notification had been given to Capilano Suspension Bridge with respect to an omnibus zoning bylaw that was passed back in 1995," said chief administrative officer David Stuart in an interview. "There are two questions which have arisen: one is to notification and the other is with respect to if the limitations were intended or not, without referring back to notes from our solicitor I really can't comment on the specifics of that."

http://www.canada.com/northshorenews/news/story.html?id=5c252131-f1ec-494c-9f9d-388f54f87c7c&k=92829&p=1

[mr.x]

A loss for the NIMBY's, a victory for everyone else.:cheers:

[Yume-sama]

Yay!

[CameronT120]

If you want some entertainment, you should watch the video of that nights council session. Councillor Muri's behavior was disgusting. It gets really lively about 25 minutes in.
Scroll down to item 4 and click on the video icon.

http://www.dnv.org/upload/documents/Council_Agendas_Minutes/ca080407.htm