Burquitlam-Lougheed residents are split on whether they want to see more density in the area, according to a survey conducted by the city of Coquitlam.
Almost 15% of survey respondents said they believe density and redevelopment would improve the neighbourhoods while more than 18% listed density as one of their biggest concerns.
The contradictory results mean city staff will likely have to make some difficult decisions when coming up with a neighbourhood plan for the area, said Jim McIntyre, Coquitlam's general manager of planning and development services.
"We received quite a range of feedback," he said. "Some of it is a bit inconsistent. It's a bit of a mixed bag."
The city recently completed its public consultation process in Burquitlam-Lougheed and will now analyze the results before drafting the neighbourhood plan. Density is a big issue in the area, which has seen a boom in development accompanying the construction of the Evergreen Line.
The online survey was conducted between Dec. 9, 2014 and Feb. 27, 2015 and received 217 submissions. Other public consultations have also taken place, including open houses and community information sessions. Staff said when the data from these other consultations methods are taken into account, 37% of respondents are "generally supportive of increased housing density."
In the survey, residents who favoured density were fairly specific about the types of housing they would like to see, with a preference for ground-oriented development, such as townhouses and coach houses, as well as low-rise apartments.
During Monday's council-in-committee meeting, Coun. Dennis Marsden questioned the rationale for soliciting feedback from residents on the density issue. With an Evergreen Line station in the neighbourhood, more density is coming whether residents support it or not, he said.
"The train has left the station," Marsden said. "Whether you support [density] or not, it is moot. We just need to move forward with how we manage it."
Another inconsistency in the survey results centres around pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. When asked to pick one thing that would improve the area, close to 16% of respondents said they would like to see more facilities for walking and biking but on list of funding priorities, bike lanes were ranked last.
Public safety was another priority residents selected in the survey and staff noted there was some concern among residents about crime related to the SkyTrain station. Traffic improvements were also listed as a top spending priority, according to the survey results.
City staff intend to use the feedback garnered during the public input process to develop land use options for the area. A report will be presented to council at some point this year and more public feedback is expected in the fall. The neighbourhood plans expected to be presented to council and the public in the summer of 2016.
The Evergreen Line is scheduled to being operating in fall 2016.
@GMcKennaTC
