Council at its July 25 meeting approved granting special development permits for a pair of major new proposed industrial developments.
A Streamside Protection and Enhancement Area (SPEA) permit was approved for an application by Beedie (South Perimeter) Holdings Ltd., which is proposing to consolidate three industrial properties into one lot to develop a 23,600-square metre (254,028-square-foot) customer fulfillment centre to support 1,500 jobs.
The site in the 7500 and 7600-block of 80 Street comprises 9.2 hectares (23 acres), situated between 80 Street to the west, Highway 17 to the east and the 80 Street (Tilbury) Connector to the south.
To the north is a railbed co-owned by the Canadian National Railway and BNSF Railway.
A special permit is required as the site is located within an SPEA, which applies to all land within Delta that is partly or entirely located within 30 metres (98 feet) from the top of bank of a stream.
The owner requested an SPEA development permit ahead of rezoning approval in order to delineate the SPEA boundaries and allow for site preparation in late summer and early fall, while they continue to work with city staff to refine the industrial development proposal.
Issuance of an SPEA development permit would not preclude council's ability to make decisions on future development applications, the planning department explained.
Meanwhile, council also granted an SPEA development permit for Conwest (Nordel) GP Ltd. and Delta Cedar Products Ltd. to develop five industrial parcels in the 10000-block of River Road. The four-hectare (9.9 acre) site formed part of the Delta Cedar Specialties office, sawmill and lumber yard operation.
The owners are proposing to redevelop approximately 3.5 hectares (8.6 acres) of the land into a new 19,698-square-metre (212,028-square-foot) multi-tenant industrial building south of River Road.
It would include a portion of unopened road allowance on what’s now called Main Street, which the owners want to acquire from the City of Delta.
Any sale would still be subject to council’s approval of the details of the sale, including the price based on an updated appraisal, as well as approval of a road closure bylaw.
The remaining area of the site would continue to be used for the Delta Cedar Specialties operations.
Delta planning staff note the owners applied for the permit ahead of approval of other application components in order to formalize the SPEA boundary and allow for site preparation in late summer and early fall, while they also continue to work with city staff to refine the industrial development proposal.
As with the Beedie application, the owners would also be required to enter into a restrictive covenant for the protection of the riparian area and riparian plantings would be installed and monitored.
The owners behind the River Road project have submitted an assessment report and met with the local group Cougar Creek Streamkeepers to discuss the proposed development.
