Delta will now have its own design panel to provide advice to city council on projects in the community with voices from both experts and local residents.
The Delta advisory design panel’s predecessor was dissolved on Jan. 28, 2019 but at a previous meeting on Oct. 5, councillors announced they were looking for members of the community to take part in a revamped version.
The proposal for the panel was viewed by council during a regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 9. The panel’s purpose, as the name suggests, is to provide advice to Delta council on design and construction of buildings and sites within the city. The proposal was passed unanimously.
Coun. Lois Jackson, a constant advocate for the panel's reinvigoration, was happy to see it brought back to council with members from the community included in its makeup.
“I think it will take a lot of pressure off our staff and it won't be totally left to council to try and work out amongst us what design we like best,” Jackson said. “At least we will have some professional people coming forward that are in planning that hopefully are in tune with what our community wants.”
Voting members of the panel will include two members of either the Architectural Institute of British Columbia or the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, two members of the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects, one person from Delta’s Mobility and Accessibility Committee as well as one resident of North Delta and one resident of South Delta.
The panel will advise on all applications for rezoning, development permits and/or building permits for multi-unit residential buildings and mixed-use buildings. The panel will also advise on site aspects like landscaping, site circulation, sustainability, accessibility, and a projects compatibility of existing development.
