Public consultation needs to come first, says Coun. Rob Kirkham.
Council was quick to scrap six land-use options from the Upper Mamquam Blind Channel Land Use Study and sent District of Squamish staff to the public to find out what residents think should grace the water's banks.
At a Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday (Nov. 8), municipal staff presented six land-use options to use as discussion points as impetus for moving the four-year-old Upper Mamquam Blind Channel Land Use Study forward.
The study, which examines the physical, geographical and social characteristics of the Upper Mamquam Blind Channel area, was initiated in early 2007 when an application for a 8.3-acre mixed-used development near the channel hit council's table.
Although satisfied with the study's timeframe and budget, councillors didn't approve the format. Staff's plans to meet with stakeholders landowners, developers and Clarke Drive and Scott Crescent residents separately doesn't address the big picture, Kirkham said. Traffic issues from any development on the southern portion of the land, which would have to be accessed via Clarke Drive and Scott Crescent, would affect homeowners beyond those immediate streets, he said.
"I don't want to be revisiting this again," Kirkham said, adding that the six options presented by staff may pigeonhole the conversation.
Coun. Patricia Heintzman warned the research looked more like a development study rather than a land-use plan, a perception that the district is trying to shake.
Speaking to council, Squamish resident Jim Sandford said the study does "feel developer-centric." As Kirkham pointed out, anything that happens to the southeast portion of that area will affect all Hospital Hill residents. The district should put aside any development proposals and focus on the land, Sandford added.
Meeting with stakeholders separately won't aid progress, Coun. Corinne Lonsdale said.
"I don't like it when we pit one group against another," she said.
Discussion to date has focused on the land southeast of the Blind Channel, Coun. Doug Race said before questioning whether there were any significant changes for the balance of the area.
With the exception of Coun. Paul Lalli and Mayor Greg Gardner, Kirkham's motion for the district to a public hearing to be held first, followed by stakeholder meeting which could also be attended by the public, was adopted. He also asked that the six drafts not be presented, so the public could build its own vision.
Lalli and Gardner opposed going to the public empty handed. The options would help focus discussions, Gardner said.
"I don't believe in going to the community with a blank page," he said. "I think we have done that."
