The City of Delta has announced the dates for a pair of public information meetings on a proposed major redevelopment proposal in Ladner Village.
The Dunbar Lumber site at the corner of Bridge and Elliott streets is proposed to be transformed into a six-storey, mixed-use project. The new development includes a courtyard-style building with commercial space and parking on the ground floor, parking on the second floor and residential on the remaining four levels.
Having been revised since it was originally submitted last year, the proposal by Headwater Living Inc. includes 129 condo units.
The first meeting will be held Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023 at the Ladner Community Centre (4734-51 St.) main hall, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the Ladner Community Centre’s multi-purpose room, also from 5 to 7 p.m.
When the application was submitted last year, it required an Official Community Plan amendment, however, that’s no longer the case, as council has since approved major changes to the Ladner Village Area Plan. The changes include allowing increased density and building heights up to six storeys in certain parts of the village area.
It means the proposed development would adhere to the revised OCP, so a public hearing would not be required. The province recently introduced a series of measures aimed at cities being able to further streamline their development approval processes for housing projects.
Council recently approved the public consultation process for the Dunbar site application, one that won’t include a public hearing.
Coun. Alicia Guichon voted in opposition, saying the city still has the option to hold public hearings for rezoning projects that comply with the OCP, and residents likely had an expectation one would be held for what will be a “flagship” redevelopment for the village.
She told the Optimist that all opportunities to hear from the public would benefit new councillors as well as making sure the residents felt heard on the OCP change and such a pivotal project.
Guichon, who also voted in opposition to the OCP amendments last December, said she acknowledges six-storeys is permitted under the new OCP, but her biggest concern is the design, which needs a heritage feel that blends with the unique character of the area.
Encouraging residents to learn more about the project and attend the information meetings to provide input, Guichon said, “A six-storey building can be designed in such a way that it doesn’t look like its six-storeys. Let’s do this right.”
Residents can also provide online feedback until Jan. 22. Residents can also contact planner Paul Belzile at 604-952-3155 for more information.
