A massive condo development that would bring 873 units of housing to Burquitlam cleared a major hurdle Monday.
Council voted to give third reading to the project, which consists of three highrise towers and one four-storey rental apartment building. The development, which would be located at
Foster Avenue and North Road, would also have three commercial units and be close to the future Burquitlam SkyTrain station.
"I support this project," said Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart. "It moves us along in the right direction to try and encourage the density we need around transit lines."
Council's decision goes against feedback from some residents at a public hearing two weeks ago.
The majority of people who participated in the input process spoke against the project, with many saying the proposed towers are too tall and the density levels would put increased pressure on local roads.
But several council members noted that two of the four people who spoke in favour of the project at the hearing — Burquitlam Community Association president Don Violette and Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group chair Sandy Burpee — represented large groups of residents.
Those who voted for the proposal said they were swayed by the fact that the proponent, Bosa Development subsidiary Blue Sky Properties, included 57 units of guaranteed rental housing, replacing some of the units lost by the new development.
But support for the proposal was not unanimous at the council table.
Coun. Bonita Zarrillo opposed three out of the four staff recommendations, noting that she is concerned about the size of the project.
“I think we are asking the community to accept excessive density,” she said, “excessive density this community has said they don’t want at this time.”
On Tuesday, Zarrillo told The Tri-City News allowing developers to build market rental housing in exchange for higher densities would not solve the affordability problem. She echoed comments made by Burpee at the public hearing that rents in the new building — approximately $1,200 per unit or higher — would be out of reach for most low-income families.
Zarrillo said she's concerned council's decision on Monday essentially means any market rental in the city, no matter what the cost, is now eligible to be labeled "affordable." This could set a precedent, she added, noting developers could include pricey rental units in their projects in order to leverage more density.
"It has been my concern since the beginning," she said. "Affordable housing does not equal market rental."
But Coun. Terry O'Neill took issue with some of Zarrillo's comments, saying the best way to bring down the cost of rental housing is to increase supply. He added that the developer has been responsible in replacing some of the rental units lost by the new project.
"The creation of more housing is the most responsible thing that we can do to help the affordability issue," O'Neill said.
The project makes sense, he added, because of its proximity to the future SkyTrain.
ONNI TOWER
While the Blue Sky development in Burquitlam gets set for fourth and final reading, another high-density project has begun to work its way through Coquitlam city hall.
Onni Group is proposing a 28-storey, 218-unit highrise at North Road just north of Austin Avenue. The project will also include commercial units fronting on to North Road.
On Monday, council voted unanimously in favour of giving first reading for the required official community plan amendment, which will go to a public hearing later this month.
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