Council has given third reading to a rezoning request that would help move forward a proposed mixed-use development project which envisions 131 residential apartments as well as a variety of commercial uses, including retail, restaurant, office space and, possibly, a casino.
However, several councillors said they needed answers to outstanding issues before they would support granting fourth and final reading.
The decision to grant third reading was made on Monday night after a second public hearing on the proposed development.
Residents in the surrounding neighbourhood voiced concerns about increased traffic in the residential area, parking issues and the impact of a casino. They also had environmental concerns regarding the properties at 31802 Hillcrest Ave., 31896 Raven Ave., 7233 Wren St. and 31831, 31941, 31971 Lougheed Hwy.
Coun. Pam Alexis said she has visited the site about a dozen times and feels it is an unsafe access. She suggested the developer, and district staff, examine other options to access the site.
“The number one issue for this development, which will have the greatest impact on our community, is traffic flow. I have no issues with the commercial aspect of the application and I understand the trend towards mixing commercial with residential, but I can’t support the access onto Raven,” Alexis said.
She added that the location will serve as a gateway to the community and needs to be attractive and welcoming. Alexis agreed to support third reading “as long as those traffic concerns are addressed in the next phase of this development.”
READ: 12-acre mixed-use project proposed in Mission
Mayor Randy Hawes said traffic reports will be coming back to council and he is confident district staff will examine the issue thoroughly.
As for the opposition to the proposal during the public hearing, Hawes said he has to think about the entire community.
He explained that when he goes into a public hearing he examines the proposal and asks himself if it is in the best interest of the entire community. If a cohesive argument is made against the proposal, then he could change his mind.
“If I hear arguments that are just based on the surrounding area, I have to think about much more than a couple of streets. I think about the entire community,” he said.
He feels the possibility of more apartments, which he said Mission is lacking, along with new jobs and tax benefits, are beneficial to the overall community.
“I realize there are people for whom this is not in their best interest perhaps, but there is much more.”
Coun. Carol Hamilton, who also raised traffic concerns, made a similar argument.
“I look at the greater good of the development for the community, with the taxation and how we hear time and time again that we need to take the burden off the residential tax base, and this is an opportunity to do that, as well as create new jobs,” she said.
Coun. Jim Hinds said he would have “a hard time voting against this when it can generate close to $500,000 in commercial tax base to our community.”
Hinds also said it could create close to 200 jobs within the commercial area, not counting what the casino would create.
Coun. Rhett Nicholson said the housing and jobs that the proposal would create are needed in Mission.
“What other place would you want this? You want to have the density downtown. Walkability, transit – everything’s there. I wouldn’t want to see this put up in Cedar Valley … this is where commercial is.”
The most vocal councillor against the proposal was Danny Plecas, who said he would not support it.
“The traffic issue itself is probably the most grievous issue on this whole thing,’ he said.
But Plecas also raised concerns about the density on the site and the inclusion of a casino, located next to a daycare and residential structure.
“Do we really need it at that location?” he asked.
Plecas was the only councillor to vote against third reading.
Hawes said the casino conversation will take place another day as there is no application yet to put a casino in the building.
Casino:
While the developer has included a casino as part of the proposed re-zoning, a long process must still take place for that aspect of the project to become a reality.
Chances in Mission has indicated it wants to relocated from its current location and expand to possibly include table games, a buffet and more.
However, an application would have to be made to, and be approved by, the BC Lottery Corporation and then go back before council and the public before moving forward.
And none of that would occur if the overall project does not receive fourth and final reading.
