Tag: silverdale public hearing

After 6 days of public presentations, District of Mission Council has recessed the Public hearing for bylaws relating to the proposed 1400-unit Phase One housing development in Silverdale until Dec. 9/08, after the Municipal election Nov. 15/08.  Public interest in  the proposal was very strong, with 100s of citizens coming to the hearing and over 200 speakers signed up to present their views. Opposition to the proposal grew as major deficiencies were revealed.  Only one person supported the proposal in the last 3 days (12 hours) of the hearing.  Both the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the provincial Ministry of the Environment wrote letters to the District stating they were unable to support the proposal because it posed a serious threat to the abundant wildlife and fish habitat in the area. Letters from Genstar and Madison development corporations dated Sept. 29/08 stated that certain aspects of the current Phased Development Agreement are not economically viable for them leading citizens to question Mission council’s assurance that Genstar will pay for everything.  Citizens were very concerned by Genstar and Madison’s request that Mission Council agree to expropriate land from current residents whose properties may be needed for easements or right of ways; a request which council stated was illegal. Residents of the area were shocked to learn that not only did the council have no contingency plan in place to assist residents whose wells were contaminated by the development, but that they did not even believe that this was the responsibility of the District.  Citizens from the business community criticized the financial planning and the complete lack of risk management analysis needed to protect Mission taxpayers.  It was pointed out that no other community in BC has entered into a 20 year legally binding agreement with a developer and citizens questioned why, in the face of a world wide economic down-turn, Mission is the guinea pig.  Now that Mission council has recessed the hearings until after the election, citizens are left wondering why Council rushed into the hearings so late in their mandate in the first place.  While they were requested by the proponents to do so, clearly Council underestimated the interest citizens have in the future of their community and the concerns people have about this proposal. CAUSS would like to thank everyone who came out to present their views and send a message to council that they cannot simply ignore the obvious problems and ram through a plan of this magnitude.

 

Another day of opposition to the proposed genstar housing development occurred Oct. 28.08.  Each and every speaker was opposed to the plan and to the 20 year Phased Development Agreement.  local high school sent in a 2 page petition of students who don’t want a smog coloured future.  Pictures of Genstar’ Maple Crest development were presented which depicted silt filled streams and major erosion problems.  Once again, council stated they had no contingency plan whatsoever to address resident’s concerns of contamination of their wells.  Council candidate Kevin O’Beirne did his own research and presented a well monitoring program currently going on in Whonock that could alert residents to contamination problems and would also serve to support a class action lawsuit if necessary.  To the shock of the audience, Director of Corporate Administration, Dennis Clark stated that there appeared to be a  mistaken belief that council was responsible for well contamination.  If it is council’s plan, and they are willing to go ahead despite knowing the concerns of the public and the provincial and federal ministries of the environment, then they ARE responsible!  The meeting continues tonight, Wed. Oct. 29/08 6:30 at the Best Western.  If you haven’t had a chance to make your views known, come to the hearing.