Burquitlam residents will have a chance this month to have their say on a plan to build a 26-storey residential tower close to the Evergreen Line station planned for their neighbourhood.
On Monday, Coquitlam city council unanimously granted first reading to the rezoning bid by Beedie Living, which is proposing to build the highrise at 520 Como Lake Ave. and build seven townhomes for the adjacent YWCA Como Lake Gardens - a facility for single moms and their kids.
But council asked city planners to address a number of concerns before the March 31 public hearing, among them: whether the tower will include units for the disabled; access for area businesses; incorporating office space; potential damage and construction complications; and density levels.
According to a city staff report, Beedie plans to buy 44,000 sq. ft. of unused density from the Como Lake Gardens site - which is owned by the city and leased to the YWCA for 60 years - and transfer it for its development (density sharing is allowed under the RM6 zone for contiguous properties).
Last week, council heard from an area resident representing some 250 neighbours who said the Beedie tower would crowd the block.
Coun. Brent Asmundson, a Coast Mountain Bus Co. bus driver in Burquitlam, said growth in the aging neighbourhood "has been a long time in coming."
Bosa is now building two highrises near Safeway in Burquitlam Plaza mall while Marcon has a bid with the city to erect a 31-storey tower near the Clarke Road/Como Lake Avenue intersection.
