North Shore Updates

[justinwein]

That sounds like a positive development! Even a short section of the seawall can make a big difference in connecting key areas and improving pedestrian accessibility. If they manage to extend it all the way to Bewicke, it would indeed offer a much more pleasant and safer route compared to navigating the narrow sidewalks and utility poles along 3rd Street. Enhancing the TransCanada Trail in this way could also boost local tourism and encourage more people to walk or bike, which is great for the community and the environment. Here's hoping they continue with the project and make the full connection to Cap Mall area a reality!

Originally Posted by fever

I heard that a short section of the seawall from Waterfront park to the marina was being built. It's maybe only a couple hundred metres long, though. It would be a great shortcut to the Cap Mall area if they could get it all the way to Bewicke. Currently, the TransCanada Trail follows 3rd street, a truck route that has narrow sidewalks with utility poles, between Waterfront park and Marine drive/Mosquito Park.

I don't know if the Save on (old Dave Buck site) is still being built. I just know it's not a parking lot anymore.

[RedArbutus]

Originally Posted by justinwein

That sounds like a positive development! Even a short section of the seawall can make a big difference in connecting key areas and improving pedestrian accessibility. If they manage to extend it all the way to Bewicke, it would indeed offer a much more pleasant and safer route compared to navigating the narrow sidewalks and utility poles along 3rd Street. Enhancing the TransCanada Trail in this way could also boost local tourism and encourage more people to walk or bike, which is great for the community and the environment. Here's hoping they continue with the project and make the full connection to Cap Mall area a reality!

Did you see the date on that post you quoted? Welcome to the forum.

[idunno]

Lol I was so confused for a minute. Glad that section has long been complete!

[jollyburger]

Lets see how Eby reacts

In particular, the maximum height of future apartment buildings in the “Hollyburn corner” area opposite the West Vancouver Community Centre has been reduced from 14 storeys to four storeys, and the maximum on former land use sites in the 1300 block of Clyde and Duchess avenues has been trimmed from 14 storeys to 12. Infill housing on a large site at 2222 Bellevue Ave. – the “Pink Palace” apartment building – should be situated to minimize view impacts on surrounding apartments under the new plan. Redevelopment on church and public assembly sites has also been lowered in some cases and should be encouraged to be ground-oriented on Esquimalt Avenue sites, according to the plan.

https://www.nsnews.com/real-estate-n...t-plan-9257979

[jollyburger]

The District of West Vancouver has been given a deadline by the provincial government to conform with mandated housing legislation.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Housing stated that a 30-day non-compliance notice has been issued to West Van, after the district voted in May to reject passing bylaw amendments to comply with provincial rules about adding density on single-family properties.

“At the end of that 30 days, a ministerial order could be issued,” reads the statement.

The overarching message of the ministry’s statement was positive, stating that nearly 90 per cent of all B.C. communities have adopted small-scale multi-unit housing legislation, while others have requested time extensions to consider the rules. But it singled out West Van as the one municipality that has outright rejected the policy.

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/pr...-rules-9270398

[officedweller]

Wrong thread...

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Wrong thread...

It's directly related to West Vancouver, so it's very appropriate for this thread in addition to others.

Speaking of this, one has to wonder if Councillor Watt understands how government works in this country:

Our unelected premier has not called a referendum, he hasn’t invited the citizens to vote to shift the municipal planning decision-making process to the province. Instead, our premier, who again was not elected by the people, is ramming legislation through at an alarming speed.

(from the Vancouver Sun)

[Burquitlaman]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

It's directly related to West Vancouver, so it's very appropriate for this thread in addition to others.

Speaking of this, one has to wonder if Councillor Watt understands how government works in this country:



(from the Vancouver Sun)

I don't think he's read the Constitution either.

"to shift the municipal planning decision-making process to the province"

Municipalities can only do what is delegated to them by the Province. They are not a recognized entity under the Constitution. Nothing has shifted. The Province is literally your boss and they are telling you what to do, as they always have.

[Jimbo604]

Originally Posted by Burquitlaman

I don't think he's read the Constitution either.

"to shift the municipal planning decision-making process to the province"

Municipalities can only do what is delegated to them by the Province. They are not a recognized entity under the Constitution. Nothing has shifted. The Province is literally your boss and they are telling you what to do, as they always have.

Yep, 100%. Cities & municipalities 100% created by the province and completely under the jurisdiction of the province.

West Vancouver council in for a shocking constitutional lesson, me thinks.

Similarly, the City of Surrey recently learned this lesson as well [that cities are creatures of the province]:

National Observer Court backs transition to Surrey municipal police force
By Brenna Owen & Chuck Chiang | News, Politics | May 24th 2024 Link
'The B.C. Supreme Court has quashed a bid by the City of Surrey to halt a transition to a municipal police force, with the judge ruling the province has a right to exert authority over municipalities.

Justice Kevin Loo said in the judgment Thursday that this authority is valid even if it nullifies "a mandate given by voters," referring to the election of Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke who campaigned to halt the transition away from the RCMP.

Loo also said the government is "entitled to enact legislation even where its intention is to overcome a legal proceeding," as was the case when the province enacted the Police Amendment Act to force Surrey to complete the transition"

"(In) my view, the City’s argument that the legislature is not entitled to specifically nullify a mandate given by voters is inconsistent with the Province’s general authority over municipalities," the decision said.

[seamusmcduff]

Although cities are creatures of the province, I'm often hesitant to support the province to meddle in municipal affairs unless absolutely necessary. For example, recently the alberta provincial government has started to change the election process for municipalities, prevent them from receiving federal money without their approval, and restricting their budgets for no other reason than to increase their control on cities.

However, in BC there has been a clear dereliction of duty by municipal councils. The housing crisis here is out of control, and municipalities continue to ignore it for the benefit of existing land owners. When something becomes a crisis like this, this is the type of scenario that is exactly why the power structure has been built to allow provincial intervention.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

It's directly related to West Vancouver, so it's very appropriate for this thread in addition to others.

That was me posting something in the wrong thread.
"Wrong thread" is the reason my post was empty (weirdly, you can't delete a post).

[madog222]

It looks like the last crane at North Harbour is coming down.

[Tvisforme]

This week in West Vancouver:

The Globe and Mail: City councillors in West Vancouver grudgingly agree to province’s demand for more density

Also in West Vancouver:

CBC: West Vancouver sells public beach access to private buyer

[jollyburger]

Pretty nice infill housing around Phibbs Exchange



https://x.com/VanMarInc/status/18139...045104/photo/1

[RedArbutus]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Pretty nice infill housing around Phibbs Exchange

https://x.com/VanMarInc/status/18139...045104/photo/1

I drive past this nearly daily and I really appreciate the novelty. The metal balconies remind me of an industrial-inspired build you might see in Steveston, or somewhere along the Fraser River.

[idunno]

I was there a couple weeks ago, and it looks great. Was this the Provincial housing project?

[djmk]

I ride through Maplewood and Lynn Creek (near Phibbs) everyday and the current development and future applications is impressive. There is about a 1000 homes coming to Maplewood already


https://www.dnv.org/business-develop...ing-considered

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by djmk

I ride through Maplewood and Lynn Creek (near Phibbs) everyday and the current development and future applications is impressive. There is about a 1000 homes coming to Maplewood already

https://www.dnv.org/business-develop...ing-considered

Not if the current council has anything to say about it. The current NIMBY council has a strong aversion to any development in the Maplewood area and does its best to hamstring any development that comes to their desk. It's the closest "village centre" (yes they're still insistant on calling parts of the Vancouver city metro "villages") to where two of the NIMBYest members of council live (Little and Muri).

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/sp...t-plan-4861439

(This was the previous council, but the NIMBY naysayers no-voters are still on council.)

Bear in mind your map is every development proposal. It's then the DNV council's job to vote "NO".

[djmk]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Not if the current council has anything to say about it. The current NIMBY council has a strong aversion to any development in the Maplewood area and does its best to hamstring any development that comes to their desk. It's the closest "village centre" (yes they're still insistant on calling parts of the Vancouver city metro "villages") to where two of the NIMBYest members of council live (Little and Muri).

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/sp...t-plan-4861439

(This was the previous council, but the NIMBY naysayers no-voters are still on council.)

Bear in mind your map is every development proposal. It's then the DNV council's job to vote "NO".

Maplewood already is being developed. A big project with a bunch of cranes already behind Stongs. And the two developments on Old Dollarton look like its a go.

fingers crossed.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by idunno

I was there a couple weeks ago, and it looks great. Was this the Provincial housing project?

Yes

The Province, through BC Housing, provided approximately $9.5 million to the project through the Community Housing Fund, and will provide approximately $415,000 in annual operating subsidies.

The District of North Vancouver provided the land, valued at approximately $8.3 million, as well as development cost charge waivers of approximately $1.6 million.

The Government of Canada, through the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation, provided a seed funding grant of $50,000.

Vancity Credit Union provided a grant of $15,000.

https://news.bchousing.org/ninety-ne...rth-vancouver/