ve sieep-sione de Keith Lowa Contributing Writer NORTH Vancouver District council] voted 5-3 Oct. 2 against reconsidering its Aug. 28 decision to exempt Deep Cove from a rezoning bylaw that - reduces the develop- ment potential of steeply sloped lots. Developing steeply slaped land affects water runcif and causes wear and tear on. the storm sewer system and creek banks, which can add to ero- sion and creck bank failure. Council also vored unani- mously to withdraw a motion to determine if one of the councillors, who is a Deep Cove homeowner, put herseli” in a conflict of interest by vot-. ing, on the resolution. . Coun. Ernie Crist’s motion consisted of three parts. The first. part —_to reapen the debate. over the: Deep Cove exemption, .was based : on _ Crist’s belief that the amended bylaw. constituted “an appar- “lvent ~ discrimination . against property owners in areas out- side of. Dees Cove. ...” and that excluding the Cove wasin . “direct conflict” of the prima- ry. purpose. of | the : bylaw, “which, Crist said, “increase environmental pro- tection: on. cnvironmentally : sensitive lets.” | Crist further’ objected. to__ council: conducting the: vote ‘on what he called a “landmark “Was to . ate a - Sunday, October 15, 2000 — North Shere Mews - 13_ pery 2 NYE allews Deep Cove to retain steep-slope building bonuses and three other councillors were absent. “It's a very peor decision by council,” said Crist. The resolution ended a bonusing system, in place since 1971, that allowed prop- erty owners of sloped lots to | build larger homes on the flat areas of the lot. The honus only applied, however, if the amount of land affected by the slope was more than 25% of the net area. The bylaw excludes iand that has a greater than 50% slope from the overall lot area. The 50% slope exclusion is based on geotechnical studies of landslides and is considered to be the cutoi¥ point at which material remains at rest, and bevond which material begins to slide. . According to assistant pianner Tamsin Guppy, if the Cove were. included in the amended bylaw, many existing homes would ‘become non- conforming and would require variances for even minor improvements. Deep .. Cove is considered unique, in its high concentration of steep slopes and ¢ifferent style of development. Guppy acknowledged, however, that from an envi- ronmental perspective, it would be fairer to apply the bylaw to Deep Cove as well. The public hearing on May 30 resulted in’an overwhelm- ing number of objections, _ however, from: North Shore residents. who were opposed COUN.Dunsford: “We acted in the best inter- ests of moving along...” ta the Deep Cove exclusion. “In all of the comments, -the exemption of Deep Cove _ was completely opposed,” said Coun. Lisa Muri, a Deep Cove resident who was “offended” that council voted on it in her absence. “I’m shocked. thar the bylaw passed without addressing that (opposition).” But. Coun... Heather Dunsford, who opposed the - motion to reopen the debate, disagreed. » “I think it’s had a lot of careful consideration,” she said. “It’s gone back and forth - through a number of reason- ings, it’s had a public hearing and I believe that we acred in the best interests of moving © "along with the process. and 42nd. | COLLISIO " 4 SPECIALISTS, YEAR ectting things passed in a timely manner.” Crist’s second mation requested “a legal opinion as to whether, at Jeast, one mem- ber of Council present at (the Aug. 28) meeting was in a conflict of interest situation...” Mayor Don Bell responded to Crist’s request for legal opinion on the conflict issue by recommending he prepare a report stating the basis for his allegations. Bell said the report would then be placed on the agenda at a special! closed meeting. “A non-specific and unsub- stantiated allegation of conflict of interest against one or more unnamed members of coun- cil,” Bell said, in a prepared text, “can, in my opinion, only be viewed as an irresponsible, politically motivated innuendo attempt. to discredit other -members of council.” Bell reiterated his request for Crist to name the council- lor(s) during the meeting, but Crist declined. “Those individuals, have to know themselves,” said Crist. “They are familiar with the - conflict of interest legislation. Tleave it entirely up to them. I will not mention the name ..... because I feel it is their obliga- tion to come. forward,” he said. : . Dunsford. said through a process of elimina-_ tion, since she was the only © councillor Present 3 at the Aug. © that, - 28 vote who was a resident of Deep Cove, she would be the party ta whom Crist was refer- ring. ‘Shz then took the position of defending ierself against Ciist's allegations. “There’s no conflict of interest in this situation and in my voting on this particular motion,” said Dunsford. just wanted to. counter that and make sure I was clear: that Udo not accept that and make it clear to everybody here.” Dunsford said that while her lor sloped, it was probably only a 10%-15% grade and - would not be affected by the bylaw. She also said she had. asked for a legal’ opinion before she vored. Dunsford was acting mayor on the day of the vote, duting the absence of Mayor Bell. She said that she did not know. if she would have excused herself from the vote had her lor been affected by the bylaw, but said her under- standing of conflict of interest guidelines was that there had te be * ‘some kind of fiduciary gain.” Crist congratuisted Dunsford on speaking | up -about the issue and said he would not mention it again, professing to dislike what he called “witch hunts.” The third part of Crist’s motion, to determine | if excluding Deep Cove was dis- criminatory, was also. with- drawn. Computer Courses for Mics Cool activities with great teachers, smali ciass sizes, . - in our high tech fearing central t Hour Classes for | 34, 45 years trom $55_ Create animated stories and pictures, ~ make crafts using computers, improve | ee ie and math skis £2 Hour Ciasses | fe irs &-3, 9-22 years from 374, improve fundamental compiter skilis,. 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