Maple Ridge council is thinking about turning possible riverfront residential property into industrial land to increase the number of local jobs.
The two parcels of land are at either end of Kwantlen First Nation’s Indian Reserve No. 5, which is also up for development.
One parcel comprises about 40 acres on the west side of the reserve, after space is allowed for environmental and topographic concerns.
On the east side of the reserve, only about seven acres are available for development.
An Oct. 17 staff report that was to be presented at council’s Oct. 25 meeting says that the lands are considered suburban residential, but are outside the city’s urban area with no Metro Vancouver sewer service.
The report suggests that council tell staff to write up a bylaw to make the required changes to the Official Community Plan, as well as consult with neighbours, owners and Kwantlen.
Staff are making the suggestion to change the usage for the land based on the city’s 2015 Commercial and Industrial Strategy, which says that another 200 acres are needed by 2040 to provide an employment base in Maple Ridge.
The Kwantlen also have development plans for the 62-acre reserve. Initially, a shopping mall was to be built on the reserve a few years ago, but that never happened.
The Kwantlen’s Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group “is looking to create sustainable, long term and environmentally sensitive opportunities through a combination of residential and commercial developments.”
The staff report notes that the City of Maple Ridge could cooperate with the Kwantlen in planning the area.
Both sites face on to the riverfront, as well as the CP Railway train tracks, and have multiple owners of individual properties.
Staff also note that streams traverse the areas, requiring setbacks of up to 30 metres, while there also challenges posed by steep slopes.
