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UPDATED: Port Moody council sends townhouse project to public hearing

A 45-unit townhouse project that Port Moody council rejected in February as “over-the-top dense,” with not enough green space, will go to a public hearing June 25 with two fewer units and an additional two greenspaces for the use of residents.
townhouse project
A Port Moody townhouse project by Marcon Properties that will include the restoration and preservation of the 1911 Johnston Residence, will go to a public hearing June 25 after it was initially rejected by city council less than three months ago.

A 45-unit townhouse project that Port Moody council rejected in February as “over-the-top dense,” with not enough green space, will go to a public hearing June 25 with two fewer units and an additional two greenspaces for the use of residents.

At Tuesday's meeting, councillors praised the amended Marcon Properties project, which will also include the restoration and preservation of the Johnston Residence at the corner of Moody and St. George streets (the house was built in 1911 by former alderman William Thomas Johnston).

Marcon's 43 townhomes will be a mix of three- and four-bedroom units in six three-storey buildings — three of them fronting St. George Street and three along Hope Street — separated by an internal walkway. Two of the units include a one-bedroom secondary suite that can be locked off independently. There will also be a public plaza that features an art installation at the corner of Moody and Hope streets, next to the restored Johnstone Residence.

The additional outdoor amenity spaces would include a programmable area along St. George that features a fire pit and a table tennis table, and a secluded outdoor seating area along Hope Street.

Coun. Amy Lubik said the additional amenity spaces “really do add to the project. They’ve made it a bit more age-friendly.”

While other councillors praised the family-sized units located less than 400 metres from the Moody Centre SkyTrain station, Coun. Diana Dilworth said council’s desire for reduced density means two families will be denied the opportunity to live in a location so convenient to transit, and those who do buy into the project will likely have to pay more.

“I think it’s been a silly exercise and decisions have been made for the wrong reason,” said Dilworth, who supported the earlier version of the project.

“I would have been happy with the way it was,” said Acting Mayor Meghan Lahti, another initial supporter.

But Coun. Zoe Royer said the restoration of the Johnstone Residence represents a major win for the city.

“The restoration of the Johnston house is no small feat,”  she said, adding the family homes are just what the area needs.