mr.x
Dec 20, 2007, 4:47 AM
‘Last, best, only chance’ for Garden City lands
By Matthew Hoekstra - Richmond Review - December 19, 2007
Civic politicians breathed new life into a deal Monday that could net the city half of the 55-hectares (136-acre) Garden City lands.
In a 7-2 vote, council extended the city’s agreement with the Canada Lands Company and Musqueam Indian Band until Dec. 31, 2008.
The three partners are planning a second pitch to the Agricultural Land Commission early next year to open the land to development—this time with the City of Richmond making the application.
The deal will fail if the land can’t be removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Staff argued the city is best left to explain the community need for the removal—an argument land commissioners said wasn’t compelling during the first application from Canada Lands Company.
That will trigger a longer public consultation process of at least three open houses and one public hearing before the application is even filed.
From Page 1
Council also agreed to create a $10-million endowment fund for agriculture improvements elsewhere in the city. That cash will be immediately fronted by the city and later paid back through a surcharge on development of the Garden City lands.
“We have to analyze this in reality. The Musqueam has a very strong claim on that land,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie.
“This is our last, best, only chance, and if we don’t seize the opportunity, then we lose it—we lose it forever.”
Coun. Sue Halsey-Brandt joined Coun. Harold Steves in opposing the deal’s extension. She suggested the city’s proposed uses for the land could be accommodated under the Agricultural Land Reserve.
“My fear is that if the land is removed from the ALR, that those uses will not be guaranteed (in the future),” said Halsey-Brandt.
Council also heard from a raft of those who wanted the city to leave the lands alone or pursue a new deal.
“The Garden City lands are the heart and soul of Richmond. It’s all we’ve got left. Everywhere you look there’s more and more development,” said Nancy Trant, a longtime Richmond resident. “Where do the people of the City of Richmond go to satisfy their souls?”
Richmond Sports Council representative Roger Barnes, however, told council this deal was the only chance of getting any piece of the pie.
“What’s the reality of 100 per cent of this land being available? Is it going to be another 30 years (of waiting)?” Barnes asked. “One hundred per cent of nothing is still nothing.”
City staff agreed, saying the city has no legal claim on the land, and if the agreement fails, it won’t revert back to the federal government.
“We believe very strongly this is your best vehicle to guarantee at least a portion of these lands are available for public use,” said Joe Erceg, the city’s general manager of urban development.
Although the Musqueam and Canada Lands Company would jointly develop its half of the land into mid-rise residential apartments, city representatives are pledging to create public open space and sports amenities on the other half.
The staff report tabled Monday provided the clearest picture of what is being planned: passive and active parks, open spaces, trails, play spaces for all ages and abilities, gathering places, youth activity zones, community gardens and wetlands.
A public master planning process following the land’s removal from the reserve would iron out those details.
The report doesn’t mention Tourism Richmond’s proposal to build a trade and exhibition centre on 15 per cent of the total property.
Richmond’s chief administrative officer George Duncan said Tourism Richmond is now looking at a smaller project than its original 400,000-square-foot proposal. If that fails to materialize, land designated for the exhibition centre would be split between the land partners.
Once owned by the federal government, the land is now owned by the Canada Lands Company, a Crown corporation tasked with creating value out of excess federal lands.
Opponents of the deal believe the government can buy the land back for agricultural uses, but the city says that’s unlikely, if not impossible.
The deal was struck in March 2005 after the Musqueam launched a court injunction to prevent the federal government from transferring the lands to the city.
Garden City lands backgrounder
•The Garden City lands are a 55-hectare (136-acre) parcel of undeveloped land bordered by Westminster Highway, Garden City, Alderbridge Way and No. 4 Road. Formerly used by the Coast Guard, the lands were declared surplus by the federal government.
•A deal between the Canada Lands Company, Musqueam and City of Richmond would see the city use half the property for recreational use and a trade and exhibition centre. The Musqueam and Canada Lands Company, an agent of the federal Crown, would co-develop the balance, primarily residential towers.
•The lands are in the Agricultural Land Reserve, which forbids development. The Agricultural Land Commission has already turned down one request to remove the lands from the land reserve.
By Matthew Hoekstra - Richmond Review - December 19, 2007
Civic politicians breathed new life into a deal Monday that could net the city half of the 55-hectares (136-acre) Garden City lands.
In a 7-2 vote, council extended the city’s agreement with the Canada Lands Company and Musqueam Indian Band until Dec. 31, 2008.
The three partners are planning a second pitch to the Agricultural Land Commission early next year to open the land to development—this time with the City of Richmond making the application.
The deal will fail if the land can’t be removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Staff argued the city is best left to explain the community need for the removal—an argument land commissioners said wasn’t compelling during the first application from Canada Lands Company.
That will trigger a longer public consultation process of at least three open houses and one public hearing before the application is even filed.
From Page 1
Council also agreed to create a $10-million endowment fund for agriculture improvements elsewhere in the city. That cash will be immediately fronted by the city and later paid back through a surcharge on development of the Garden City lands.
“We have to analyze this in reality. The Musqueam has a very strong claim on that land,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie.
“This is our last, best, only chance, and if we don’t seize the opportunity, then we lose it—we lose it forever.”
Coun. Sue Halsey-Brandt joined Coun. Harold Steves in opposing the deal’s extension. She suggested the city’s proposed uses for the land could be accommodated under the Agricultural Land Reserve.
“My fear is that if the land is removed from the ALR, that those uses will not be guaranteed (in the future),” said Halsey-Brandt.
Council also heard from a raft of those who wanted the city to leave the lands alone or pursue a new deal.
“The Garden City lands are the heart and soul of Richmond. It’s all we’ve got left. Everywhere you look there’s more and more development,” said Nancy Trant, a longtime Richmond resident. “Where do the people of the City of Richmond go to satisfy their souls?”
Richmond Sports Council representative Roger Barnes, however, told council this deal was the only chance of getting any piece of the pie.
“What’s the reality of 100 per cent of this land being available? Is it going to be another 30 years (of waiting)?” Barnes asked. “One hundred per cent of nothing is still nothing.”
City staff agreed, saying the city has no legal claim on the land, and if the agreement fails, it won’t revert back to the federal government.
“We believe very strongly this is your best vehicle to guarantee at least a portion of these lands are available for public use,” said Joe Erceg, the city’s general manager of urban development.
Although the Musqueam and Canada Lands Company would jointly develop its half of the land into mid-rise residential apartments, city representatives are pledging to create public open space and sports amenities on the other half.
The staff report tabled Monday provided the clearest picture of what is being planned: passive and active parks, open spaces, trails, play spaces for all ages and abilities, gathering places, youth activity zones, community gardens and wetlands.
A public master planning process following the land’s removal from the reserve would iron out those details.
The report doesn’t mention Tourism Richmond’s proposal to build a trade and exhibition centre on 15 per cent of the total property.
Richmond’s chief administrative officer George Duncan said Tourism Richmond is now looking at a smaller project than its original 400,000-square-foot proposal. If that fails to materialize, land designated for the exhibition centre would be split between the land partners.
Once owned by the federal government, the land is now owned by the Canada Lands Company, a Crown corporation tasked with creating value out of excess federal lands.
Opponents of the deal believe the government can buy the land back for agricultural uses, but the city says that’s unlikely, if not impossible.
The deal was struck in March 2005 after the Musqueam launched a court injunction to prevent the federal government from transferring the lands to the city.
Garden City lands backgrounder
•The Garden City lands are a 55-hectare (136-acre) parcel of undeveloped land bordered by Westminster Highway, Garden City, Alderbridge Way and No. 4 Road. Formerly used by the Coast Guard, the lands were declared surplus by the federal government.
•A deal between the Canada Lands Company, Musqueam and City of Richmond would see the city use half the property for recreational use and a trade and exhibition centre. The Musqueam and Canada Lands Company, an agent of the federal Crown, would co-develop the balance, primarily residential towers.
•The lands are in the Agricultural Land Reserve, which forbids development. The Agricultural Land Commission has already turned down one request to remove the lands from the land reserve.