Development plans for three highrises being proposed in the Burquitlam neighbourhood received a cool reception from residents during a public hearing in Coquitlam Monday night.
Fifteen people spoke during the three-hour meeting on the Blue Sky development, with 11 speakers telling council to vote down the proposal planned for Foster Avenue and North Road.
Concerns ranged on everything from view corridors to transit infrastructure, while some people worried that the increased number of residents in the 873-unit development would put too much pressure on infrastructure and amenities.
“This area is not for highrises,” said Ray Chang, a Burquitlam resident. “It will generate a lot of traffic.”
Sylvano Padovan, another resident in the area, criticized council for moving ahead with the proposal before a neighbourhood plan has been developed for the area.
He also took issue with city staff, who have referred to the property as a shoulder or transition point from the higher densities expected closer to the future Burquitlam SkyTrain station.
“It just doesn’t fit with the community,” he said. “I beg council and the mayor to actually listen to the community. Thirty-seven storeys down to five storeys is not a transition.”
Affordability was another issue that came up during Monday’s meeting.
'WE DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT AFFORDABILITY'
Chris Roller, a resident in one of the 112 rental units that will have to be demolished to make way for the Blue Sky development, said the proposal would reduce the affordable housing stock in the area.
“Those of us who live in the Foster Avenue apartments are exceedingly lucky to have found the units we are in,” he said, adding it would be difficult for current residents to afford housing in the new development.
But not everyone that spoke during Monday’s meeting was against Blue Sky’s plans.
Sandy Burpee, chair of the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group, said he supported the project and commended the builder for including 57 units of purpose-built rental housing on the property.
The developer has said that it will work with current residents to move into the new structure, which will rent units for approximately $1,200 per month. The three highrises would also permit owners to rent out their properties, adding to the rental stock, according to Blue Sky.
However, Burpee said the company or the city should work on finding a way to subsidize some of the rents in the new building in order to bring them in line with what is currently charged in the existing buildings.
“We do have concerns about the affordability of the rents in the new purpose-built rental building,” he said. “We recommend the city negotiate a package to reduce the rents to current household income limits.”
Former Coquitlam mayor Maxine Wilson also spoke in favour of the three towers, saying that when Coquitlam pushed to bring the Evergreen Line to the municipality, the city agreed that more density would be necessary.
Many of the new residents, she said, would be less reliant on automobiles because the development is close to rapid transit. “We know we need to reduce the amount of fossil fuels,” she said. “We need to use other modes of transportation aside from cars. That is why this type of density is happening.”
Because councillors Craig Hodge and Brent Asmundson were not present during Monday’s meeting, council decided to vote on the third reading of the land use proposal at its next meeting.
Blue Sky Properties, a subsidiary of Bosa, first proposed the development in 2012. The project is located about 600 m from the future Burquitlam SkyTrain station and includes a large amenity space and several commercial units.
The 873 units would be dispersed over four structures.
A 28-storey tower would house 231 condos and three commercial units facing North Road, while a second 29-storey tower would have 255 units. The tallest tower would be 37-storeys with 330 units, while the rental housing would be located in a five-storey building toward the back of the property.
There will be 1,096 parking stalls to serve residents as well as a 67,759 sq. ft. common amenity space, which will feature outdoor seating, courtyards, gardens, a gym, basketball courts and a social room with a kitchen.
The development is expected to be built in three phases over a six-year period.
