Coquitlam planners are holding the reigns tightly on a development bid for a private equestrian centre in the northeast part of the city.
While council on Monday approved the first of three conservation permits to fill land at 4104 Cedar Dr., bordering Port Coquitlam, city staff want to meet with the applicants, their consultants and the contractor before any work starts.
The aim of the meeting, staff say, is "to ensure clarity and understanding of permit conditions, including associated erosion, sediment and drainage-control requirements."
The first phase of the residential/equestrian project that happens this year, close to DeBoville Slough, involves adding drains and filling three of the six properties located on 33 acres between Devon and Fremont streets.
The land, located in the floodplain and within the Agricultural Land Reserve, is to be raised by six feet over the next two years, if approvals are granted, with 2,000 to 3,000 truck and tandem loads of soil to be used.
Landowners Avtar Dhillon and Diljit Bains have received approval from the Agricultural Land Commission, with conditions, for all three phases of the filling. Last year, the city placed a stop-work order after fill operations started without its consent.
At last week's committee, Raul Allueva, Coquitlam's manager of development services, noted the "significant oversight" with the number of professional engineers and consultants working on the project and "we're comfortable in moving this forward," he said.
Allueva also confirmed the hauling via Victoria Drive would take place on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and not on the weekends or holidays.
The bid has been opposed by Port Coquitlam city council, citing concerns over environmental and watercourse impacts, stormwater, drainage and sediment control, and access to the site for dumping fill.
Stick-handling the complex project for the land owners is former Coquitlam mayor Jon Kingsbury, president of Comad Communications Inc., who was at last week's land use committee and at Monday's city council meeting.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
