PP’s Wh ie THERE’S gold in them mea thar West Vancouver hills, developers. But mining it is getting harder all the time. Just ask British Pacific Properties Ltd. (BPP). ’. The company thar owns West Vancouver has run into § some disturbing friction over the sale of its latest piece of ex- # mayor Derrick Humphreys’ Place for Excellence. The contentious Whitby “Estates development is shaping . up to be more than a sticky A sicker for the chaps down at ‘The blue-blooded real estate wing of Great Britain's Guinness family is running to everything from high ele- ion development concerns tailed frogs. : © "The Whitby Wobble is sct- ing teacups rattling at BPP Q. Little wonder. Precedents iset here could have wide-rang- ing impact on future Upper vels development. - Whitby is a watershed ;0wdewn in many ways. The upper slopes of West © Bx Vancouver arc priccless real estate crown jewels. Their luc rises with cach develop- ent because, just like water- mt, it is a finite resource that hriniking all the time. And, as real estate wags are id of pointing our, they just n’t making it anymore. Little wonder then that ispicions perist thar the velope is being pushed on Whit cn the by frontier. "Tis The : C= Youglas Optical Dispensary Lid. . 1685 Marine Drive in West Vancouver 925-2110 Opponents charge that the sacrosanct 1 ,200-foort level is about to be breached. Under the municipality’s Official Community Plan, 1,200 feet is the upper level for development in West Vancouver. Apart from ensur- ing that clear-cut development does not continue on a steady march to focal mountain tops, the cost and logistics of pro- viding services, especially water and sewers, to any develop- ment above the 1,200-foot elevation level are consider- able. It’s a line in the develop- ment sand, so to speak, that opponents charge is set to be erased by BPP in the Whitby affair. But that just ain’t so, says West Vancouver Coun. Victor Durman. The envelope at Whitby, he counters, is being pushed all right, but on the positive end. For instance, the original plans for the 263-unir, 104- acre Whitby development called for clear-cutung the entire area. Another ghastly hillside scar. Semi Annual 25% off Designer Frames Sunglasses, and Contact lens fittings DRAPERIES & BLINDS ~ BY S.LAURSEN & SON | Work on the part of coun- cil has resulted in a require- ment that, during the develop ment, trees can only be removed on a lot's building foorprint and driveway access. Lot owners can remove other trees, but must pliant 10 replacement trees that are at least three metres high. Other concessions wrung from BPP include municipal design panel approval of Whitby’s design rules and reg- ulations and the securing of approximately 30% of the Whitby site for park, school and creck protection purposes. The 1,200-foot level remains sacrosanct, Durman maintains, despite fears that the Whitby driveways and other structures will push beyond the line and legitimize future encroachment. BPP has worked to ensure that the development, consis- tent with the wishes of the previous West Vanceuver council, includes a mix of sin- gle family and more concen- trated condo housing units. The trade-off for more var- ied hillside housing options is a more concentrated building density than the the OCP per- mits. Factor in the 30% site allocation to the municipality and density increases trom the 2.5 developable units per acre |. ees; Cooling ually venrranty itby wobble as outlined in the municipali- ty’s OCP to just over 5.0 per acre. Fair enough, Also contributing to the Whitby Wobble is the revela- tion that seven acres of munic- ipal land is located in the Whitby site area. Crities of the process charge that BPP is being given exclusive right to purchase the property without its having to go to public tender. Bur the property, according to Durman, has yet to be offered for sale to anyone, It consists of assorted small separate chunks of hillside that add up to about 7.5 acres. The property is part of an old sub- division proposed for die area earlier in the century. Other landowners also own small pieces of property in the site. Not much of a conspiracy here, I'm afraid. Of course, to say that BPP packs consider- able development leverage in West Vancouver would be a world-class understatement. The company’s land hold- ings on behalf of the Guinness family constitute virtually all of the remaining developable land in West Vancouver below the 1,200-foot level. BPP originally acquired approximately 4,700 acres of West Vancouver property from stem Service Complete rad flush plus oil & fitter change. including all rnaterials 1362 Marine Drive 980-9115 DEREK A. CAVE Trial Lawyer Get the settlement #508, Kapilano 100 Building 100 Park Royal, West Van. you deserve. CHRIS CARTER Can Your Portfolio . ‘BEAR’ the Current Market? Another one of our designs. Ask about our Seniors’ discounts. For Free Estimates Phone 987-2966 Serving the North Shore for 25 years In light of the recent market volatility, it may now be prudent and timely to look at repo- sitioning your portfolio. CALL 925°5565 for a no fee, no obligation, second opinion, available in person or by phone. Can you really afford not to? Suite 114 MIDLAND 100 Park Royal eo West Vancouver, B.C. @cur CHIe THIye Ge ™Blue Chip Thinking is a trademark of Midland Walwyn Capital inc. Midland Walwyn is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Sponsored in part by: Fidelity investments’ WALWYN — Sunday, December 7, 1997 — North Shore News — 7 the municipality in 1931 as part ofa deal in which the company was required to invest $1 million in area devel- opment. The company represents almost a shadow municipality, It is virtually the only development game in town. Its town. That's not to say that the good folk at BPP have not in the past and are not now act- ing honorably and with the community's interests as a pri ority. But business is business and the business of BPP is to develop the lands it has for the Guinness family and to get the best return possible from the iamily’s investment. The business of the munici- pality is to ensure that devel- opment on all lands in West | Certi 925-7880 | Christmas Gift | Vancouver abides by its Official Community Plan and the washes of its residents. Breaching such basic prin- ciples of that plan as the 1,200-t0ot elevation level is not in the best interests of the community or the rest of the North Shore. Once it has been breached there will be no going back. The pressure to develop lots above the 1.200-fuort level in exchange for less buildable terrain below that level will continue to grow. Whitby is as close to push- ing beyond the line as any development can be. It’s a line that West Vancouver can’t allow to be erased. The municipality’s environ- mental integrity demands that it be 1,200 feer or tight. , cates ted Time Introgitctory Ott eum , DE-INS! FOR COMPETITOR'S FITNESS CLUS MEMBERSHIPS Gold’s does not have time limits on cardio equipment.