If District of Squamish council members were looking for consensus during the public hearing on Tuesday (Jan. 25), they were disappointed.
The contentious small-lot development slated for the end of Newport Ridge Drive brought a wide range of opinions to the council chamber podium. Concerned and supporting residents discussed affordability, environmental impacts, planning strategies, traffic and water drainage.
"I think approval of this is giving tassel [support] to future developments on what's affordable in Squamish," said Darren Johnston. "And we're talking half a million dollars being affordable?"
The developer, Townline Group of Companies, is asking the district to amend the current minimum lot size in the 8.2-acre area from 690 square metres (RS-1) to 300 square metres (CE-65). If the amendment is approved, the project would include a three-storey single-family dwelling on each of the 43 lots.
Townline principal Rick Ilich said affordable isn't necessarily half a million dollars - it's a relative term.
"We're marketing them as a more affordable product than what is being offered in the area," Ilich said. "We believe, based on current town policy and current cost of construction, that we should be able to build single family houses for around $500,000 - between $475,000 and $525,000."
Ilich said Townline believes there is a demand for such housing, and after the hearing Mayor Greg Gardner agreed.
"Affordability means different things to different people and what we're trying to do under our policies is to have a wide range and continuum of housing for everyone," he said.
"There is a market for this - we saw Amblepath sell out and The Maples is selling even in a depressed market. Also, these things take time so we can't make all the decisions based on the marketplace just in January 2011."
Cedar Valley Waldorf school principal Christine Martin was the first resident to take the podium and though she clarified she wasn't speaking on the school's behalf, she was voicing her own and several parents' opinions.
"We are in support of this - we feel that affordable housing in Squamish is really important," she said.
"To give new families who come to Squamish homes they can purchase, and even have a bit of property to have their children play, is really important to us."
She added that from an environmental perspective, the smaller footprint is a step in the right direction.
Donald Byrne lives at 1024 Regency Pl., less than 100 metres from the proposed development. He has been opposed since the first developer meeting.
He accused Townline of trying to make up for its losses in Thunderbird Creek, where larger homes weren't selling by building smaller, less expensive ones.
"This is the worst development I've ever seen," he said. "I hope council has the common sense to see that it's just the developer trying to make up for losses somewhere else and the people of Squamish shouldn't have to do that. It would be a step in the wrong direction."
Byrne said there are already numerous houses on the market in Squamish for $500,000.
Johnston, who recently purchased a home with his wife near the proposed development, agreed the market is already saturated with homes in that price range. He doesn't believe a family will look at the homes and think "affordable."
"My place that I just purchased a year ago in the area was more than that and there's two of us making decent money," he said. "We're OK, we're happy, but it's still a stretch for us and we don't have any kids.
"I can't imagine that a family is going to think that half a million dollars is affordable and with the approval of this where are house prices in Squamish going to go from here?"
He said in terms of sustainability, people purchasing the larger, resale homes on the market for the same price is more sustainable - "it's re-using an existing home."
Nonetheless, Squamish resident Lauren Baldwin said she found the small-lot development appealing after five years of renting here.
"Despite living in Squamish for five years I'm still a renter," she said. "That's not what I would choose, but the housing situation here is such that I'm forced to rent at this point.
"The biggest hurdle is that land prices are so expensive because most lots here are so large."
She said the location of the development is appealing because of its proximity to so many amenities she already uses. "This place interests me because it is walkable, it is near transit and smaller lots make it more likely I can afford land there."
Baldwin also mentioned that anyone concerned about traffic issues should have realized Newport Drive was designated as a major route to the Highlands in the future. It's meant to be connected to Pia Road but the Department of Fisheries (DFO) has so far refused to grant a permit for construction of the connector road because of the proximity of a fish-bearing stream.
"It's pretty obvious to me that Newport Ridge Drive is intended to be a major road," she said. "Look how wide it is."
John Hawkins asked council to consider the proposed development's unique location.
"The sustainability question is a tough one and I certainly understand that increased density means a smaller footprint, but I think it's important to consider sustainability in the bigger picture," Hawkins said.
"This development is adjacent to one of the most pristine yet sensitive natural areas in Squamish."
He explained that increased density would undoubtedly mean increased impacts on the surrounding area, namely the Coho trail that went in during the Garibaldi Springs golf course construction.
"It [Coho trail] accesses over 200 kilometres of some of the best singletrack mountain biking in the world and is widely used by dog walking families and strollers," he said.
"So it's an incredibly important amenity, but it's primarily used by the local residents in those few streets there. By increasing the density, there will also be increased trail use and so council should not only consider the sustainability of the lot, but the area in that particular green space."
Hawkins expressed his disappointment at council's continued hope that DFO officials will change their mind about connecting Newport Ridge Drive to the Highlands.
"What troubles me most is that I've been told on a number of occasions that we're putting that plan in the back pocket as something we could have in case DFO changes their mind and I have trouble with that concept," he said.
"We have particularly important habitat - we should be thinking that even if DFO changed their mind tomorrow and said, 'Have at 'er, build a road,' we would say, 'No way, this is way too important.'
"I would like you to consider dedicating that area to green space."
Several residents expressed concerns about increased traffic and ensuring there is proper water drainage on the site so the creek running alongside didn't end up collecting all the excess water and overflowing.
Cam Cairns, who lives on Regency Street, was one of the last to speak. One of the original residents opposed to the development, Cairns reminded council that affordable housing is supposed to be affordable and that the proposed new homes aren't the answer.
"I'm opposed to the density. I'm not opposed to development but it seems to me that affordable housing is askew here," he said. "I think it's in council's best interest to take that into account and consider that very carefully."
He suggested Squamish adopt an affordable housing solution similar to the Resort Municipality of Whistler's, where a certain number of lots or units in new developments are sold for 20 or 30 per cent below market value and people have their names included on a waiting list for purchase.
"Affordable housing to me - in B.C. - we're pretty out of whack with the rest of Canada," Carins said. "We might not always be riding the top of the wave."
Ilich made it clear he didn't believe affordable housing should fall on the shoulders of the developer.
"I think the whole debate on affordable housing is something that the citizens of Squamish don't have control over - when you try to house everyone, you need government involvement because you're having to give away something," he said.
"It's a debate, it's a thesis and we're never going to answer it - all we can do is keep throwing money at it and helping as many people as we can get a roof over their head.
"But we're certainly not for a second suggesting this development is the answer to affordability. This is simply providing more diversity in single family house pricing."
