ABOUT ADRA

This is a letter sent by our president to Mayor and Council – October 2019 – highlighting major issues of immediate concern:-

Local Area Plans – Processes

The ADRA Board met on October 2nd and it was by unanimous agreement that a letter be sent on the above referenced subject, in spite of the project’s location outside the neighbourhoods of Ambleside and Dundarave.  This letter is in support of the Local Area Plan processes and the need to affirm the role of local residents and stakeholders in the same.

ADRA does not support this project going forward without inclusion in the Local Area Planning process for Horseshoe Bay.  Significant citizen concerns have been registered for the inclusion of this project in the LAP process as well as examining the community use aspect of St. Monica’s Church.  To advance these two items forward in isolation of the Horseshoe Bay LAP would be to totally disregard the intent of LAP and deny local residents an important voice and loss of opportunity to address their concerns.  It would question the integrity of the LAP process.

This is a unique and important opportunity for Mayor and Council to reaffirm the role of community and local citizens in LAP processes.  The Official Community Plan  identifies two more LAP, for  Ambleside and Dundarave and the Taylorway Corridor. 

Citizen trust and support are a necessity to give credibility to such a process as we move forward in planning West Vancouver’s future.

Only too recently have we witnessed the attempt by a developer to ignore or bypass the LAP for Marine Drive.  In spite of a highly contested development proposal for the White Spot site, the developer is now requesting additional stories over what was approved in May 2018.   How can the public have confidence in an LAP process when this happens?

We ask that you give serious consideration to placing the community’s interests first and reaffirm your commitment to the Local Area Planning process by placing the  Tantalus Gardens Development  and and the issue of community use space as part of the Local Area Planning process for Horseshoe Bay.

Respectfully submitted,
Heather Mersey, President