Coquitlam is poised to put another piece of city land on the market.
On Monday, council gave first reading to rezone 1188 Pinetree Way for a higher-density use. The 0.3-hectare lot, which is vacant and will be located along the future Evergreen Line to Town Centre, is located just south of Cressey's M-Two highrise project (at Glen Drive) and north of the Frontenac, a residential building close to Coquitlam Centre mall. A public hearing on the proposed rezoning will be held Oct. 24.
Recently, the city has - or is about to - put several city lots up for sale. Earlier this month, council granted final readings to road cancellations at 2150 Como Lake Ave., next to Hillcrest middle school, to consolidate it with a larger city owned property, and on Burke Mountain, where the city plans to assemble about 30 surrounding acres to place on the block.
In February, council rezoned 1112 Westwood St. - a vacant 2.79-acre treed lot in between Lincoln and Anson avenues - for a future mixed-use high-density development. And bids have now closed for a nearby property, a 1.2-acre parcel at 1123 Westwood St., south of Lincoln Avenue, also earmarked for high density.
As well, this year, the city sold 12 single-family lots in the 3400-block of Gislason Avenue on Burke Mountain, where the city is a major landowner.
HOTEL TO GO TO A HEARING
A proposal to build an 11-storey hotel and convention centre at the Boulevard Casino will go to public hearing on Oct. 24.
City council on Monday offered no comment before unanimously passing first reading of a zoning text amendment bylaw to designate the site for a 181-room hotel that, if approved, would generate about 300 full- and part-time jobs.
The application has been met with resistance from employees at the North Road Best Western Inn, many of whom say hotel rooms in the area are under-utilized; they are also concerned about job cuts if the hotel is built.
$9,000 FOR HANSEN PARTY
An party will be held in Coquitlam next spring to mark the Rick Hansen 25th anniversary Relay.
On Monday, city council budgeted $9,000 to host the May 17, 2012 event, $4,000 of which will be spent on relay route signs and barricades to control traffic as the medal bearers travel from Port Coquitlam.
Most of the funding for the wrap-up celebration will come from the Casino Community Capital Fund. It's not known where the event will be held as the relay organizers have yet to decide on the route, said Wendy Wiederick, community services manager.
The anniversary relay to mark the Man in Motion's trip around the world in a wheelchair started last month.
