Abbotsford News - Council green lights controversial project
By Grant Granger - Abbotsford News
Published: August 10, 2010 10:00 AM
Updated: August 10, 2010 11:11 AM
Despite passionate opposition at a three-hour public hearing two weeks ago, Abbotsford city council gave the go-ahead Monday to a rezoning that will allow a 46-unit townhouse project at Old Yale and Marshall roads.
And despite the unanimous council vote, Marlisa Power, an area resident and organizer of the Trees Not Townhomes (TNT) group formed to oppose the project, vows to fight on.
"We're not going away," said Power on Tuesday.
The application by Noort Developments of Burnaby to rezone the property from one-unit to multi-unit passed second and third reading.
The message council gave, said Power, was "we're going to urbanize the way we want despite any opposition from the community."
The project still must go through development and building permit stages and Power promises to be diligent in auditing the process. TNT, which is opposed to the proposal because it will have adverse effects on the environment and wildlife in the area, has also secured funding for 10 hours of legal to see if other avenues are available.
Power, who has apologized to Merlin Wick of Noort for calling him a liar during the July 26 public hearing and to council for her behaviour that evening, said it's easy for council to label the opposition as NIMBYism. Neighbourhoods across the city, she said, have to band together to stop council from splintering opposition.
"Someone needs to get these groups united. That may be me, that may be someone else," said Power.
"We either boot them out of office or else neighbourhoods have to start to care about other neighbourhoods. Otherwise then the council will always win because they can always call it NIMBYism."
Plans call for 89 trees to be removed while keeping 116, although the majority of those are protected because they're adjacent to a creek.
Coun. Lynne Harris voted in favour of the rezoning, but admitted she was reticent to do so.
"It's always difficult for us to make a decision in support when there's a lot of opposition. In a perfect world this would be a natural forest. But it isn't and this is privately owned," said Harris, who who have preferred a smaller density. "Hopefully it will not be a blight on the community."
Some of the councillors sympathized with the opponents but didn't feel they had any option because the land was privately owned and the proposal conformed to the official community plan.
"If we don't protect these we're going to lose some of the beauty and ambience of the city. If we want to maintain the beauty in the community we're going to have to be more mindful of these lands," said Coun. Simon Gibson.
By Grant Granger - Abbotsford News
Published: August 10, 2010 10:00 AM
Updated: August 10, 2010 11:11 AM
Despite passionate opposition at a three-hour public hearing two weeks ago, Abbotsford city council gave the go-ahead Monday to a rezoning that will allow a 46-unit townhouse project at Old Yale and Marshall roads.
And despite the unanimous council vote, Marlisa Power, an area resident and organizer of the Trees Not Townhomes (TNT) group formed to oppose the project, vows to fight on.
"We're not going away," said Power on Tuesday.
The application by Noort Developments of Burnaby to rezone the property from one-unit to multi-unit passed second and third reading.
The message council gave, said Power, was "we're going to urbanize the way we want despite any opposition from the community."
The project still must go through development and building permit stages and Power promises to be diligent in auditing the process. TNT, which is opposed to the proposal because it will have adverse effects on the environment and wildlife in the area, has also secured funding for 10 hours of legal to see if other avenues are available.
Power, who has apologized to Merlin Wick of Noort for calling him a liar during the July 26 public hearing and to council for her behaviour that evening, said it's easy for council to label the opposition as NIMBYism. Neighbourhoods across the city, she said, have to band together to stop council from splintering opposition.
"Someone needs to get these groups united. That may be me, that may be someone else," said Power.
"We either boot them out of office or else neighbourhoods have to start to care about other neighbourhoods. Otherwise then the council will always win because they can always call it NIMBYism."
Plans call for 89 trees to be removed while keeping 116, although the majority of those are protected because they're adjacent to a creek.
Coun. Lynne Harris voted in favour of the rezoning, but admitted she was reticent to do so.
"It's always difficult for us to make a decision in support when there's a lot of opposition. In a perfect world this would be a natural forest. But it isn't and this is privately owned," said Harris, who who have preferred a smaller density. "Hopefully it will not be a blight on the community."
Some of the councillors sympathized with the opponents but didn't feel they had any option because the land was privately owned and the proposal conformed to the official community plan.
"If we don't protect these we're going to lose some of the beauty and ambience of the city. If we want to maintain the beauty in the community we're going to have to be more mindful of these lands," said Coun. Simon Gibson.
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