Business park planned at edge of Burns Bog
Sandor Gyarmati
The Delta Optimist
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Delta council is expecting a lot of public interest in an application to convert two parcels of farmland in East Delta into an industrial/commercial business park.
Earth King Project 64 Ltd. has applied for an Official Community Plan amendment to build a multi-tenant warehouse with office space, a convention centre and restaurant on two parcels of land at 10555-64th Ave., between 104th Street and Highway 91.
Comprising 15 acres (six hectares), the parcels are zoned agricultural and within Metro Vancouver's Green Zone, however, they are no longer in the provincial Agricultural Land Reserve. One was removed from the ALR in the late 1980s and the other in the early '90s.
According to Delta planning staff, the land, across from the Sunshine Woods golf course, is not actively being farmed, although it's adjacent to land in the ALR.
Community planning director Tom Leathem told council Monday there should be "a fair bit" of public interest in the proposal, due in part to its proximity to Burns Bog. He said the proposal should draw interest from both North Delta and South Delta.
Burns Bog Conservation Society president Eliza Olson told the Optimist the property has a long history. Developing the site, which is essentially part of the bog, would be the "thin edge of the wedge" as another private property owner with land bordering the environmentally sensitive wetlands would also want to develop, she said.
Council decided to send the proposal to Metro Vancouver for comment before considering preliminary approval. A public information meeting is also to be held, likely in September.
If council decides to grant first and second readings, the application would then go to a public hearing. An application would also be required at Metro Vancouver to remove it from the Green Zone.
Earth King Project 64 Ltd. contributed a total of $5,000 to many of the successful council candidates in last fall's municipal election.
, except Heather King, Earth King Project 64 Ltd. would also have to submit its rezoning application to the Ministry of Transportation because the land is close to the highway.
Although the site is not in the ALR, the Agricultural Land Commission will also be consulted, as will B.C. Hydro because a right-of-way runs through the land.
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