Restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores could become more common along United Boulevard.
City of Coquitlam planners and council are considering a zoning amendment for the area that would create more flexibility in land use decisions and allow for more amenities.
"You don't want to have a sterile area," said Raul Allueva, the city's acting general manager of planning and development. "There is typically some associated accessory uses that we didn't have in our zones. We felt that it was important to broaden that."
But Allueva is quick to point out that the changes are not a move toward greater commercialization of the United Boulevard area.
The city intends to keep the area primarily industrial and rezoning for amenities would only be considered on a case-by-case basis, he said. Most of the services would be geared toward workers in the area, he noted.
"We don't want this to become more commercial," he said. "We want to support it as an industrial area."
A public hearing on the issue is expected to take place in Coquitlam council chambers in September. For more information and a meeting schedule, go to www.coquitlam.ca.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
