What about Delta's 80 per cent of the Southlands? There are questions Delta must answer to enable informed public hearings and council decisions regarding the Century Group's development plans, which include handing over 80 per cent of the property to the municipality.
Would Delta provide irrigation for the Southlands? At what cost? Who would pay for it? Or would Century provide infrastructure to capture, store and distribute stormwater runoff from upland Tsawwassen? Would runoff satisfy the irrigation needs of Southlands farmland?
That question was addressed in a 1980 study found in Delta's archives. The report estimated 40 per cent of annual rainfall could be captured. That was sufficient to satisfy the irrigation deficit of 199 acres of the then owner's crops in a normal year, but not in a draught year. Is 40 per cent still reasonable? Would it be enough for whatever crops might be grown on Delta's farmland?
The basin needed to store runoff was estimated to cover 38 acres and be 15 feet deep. It occupied the Southlands' entire 56th Street frontage and an even greater distance to the east. With embankments it would consume 43 acres of the farmland to be deeded to Delta. How can this be reconciled with Century's proposal to partially develop the 56th Street frontage and its artist's depiction of a very small reservoir?
The report didn't address water purity. Water absorbs a bit of just about everything it contacts.
Stormwater runoff may encounter unthinkable things. Would traces of feces, motor oil or chemicals destroy crops or make us ill?
How about soil improvements and drainage? Without due diligence Delta could find it owns an inadequate irrigation system that delivers polluted water for soil that is infertile and lacks drainage.
Suppose this is sorted out and the land is farmable. Who, exactly, would farm it? Equipment access and conflicts with neighbourhoods remain major issues. What assurance is there the land would be farmed, and if not, what use would Delta make of it?
There are to be three parks. What exact improvements will Century make to each before deeding them to Delta?
These questions could become moot if the "Phase I" zoning request for 450 units were approved. Century's proposal reads in part: "The revised working plan reduces the number of homes in the development component from 1,900 to 950 units. This number is the minimum Century Group needs to make the transfer of 430 acres to be viable and to pay for the agricultural upgrades needed to cultivate the best farmland on the property."
Approve 450 units and get no goodies: no parks, no farmland, nada? Transfer of 430 acres to Delta requires approval of all 950 units, yet we haven't the foggiest understanding of what improvements, if any, Century would make before the transfer.
This seems unlikely to be anyone's intent, but if Delta approves 450 units and then doesn't like the final deal, Century could build the 450, sell what's left of the Southlands to some speculator, and walk away! We could find ourselves between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
Delta and Century must sort out this sorry mess.
