A8 -Sunday News, September 7, 1980 &, Comp Cam pm eal FROM PAGE A1 unimaginative and utilitarian” and claimed it would “destroy the parklike setting of the community.” As a result, West Van council decided to block any physical development of the site for one year in order to investigate alternative ideas for the educational and/or cultural use of the property. Later, council also in- troduced a bylaw to designate the property as a heritage site. Roberts told council at its meeting last week that Cressey — which has meanwhile completed the purchase of the property from UBC - will demand payment in compensation if the municipality proceeds to pass the heritage site bylaw. The value of Rockwoods would decrease, said City rej proposals, Thompson said, sealed bids were accepted on the property. “Not one developer was interested in anything less than the whole of the property,” he said. Thompson said five of the eight bids received were for $1.5 million or better and told council that it was time they decided whether they were going to buy the whole site for that price. Alderman Elko Kroon said it was time the Stoker family was given an answer and council went in camera for 20 minutes to discuss the City administrator's report on the subject. Council returned = and passed a motion saying the municipality could not buy any or all of the site. Another motion decided _ subject ition Roberts, because of future political uancertainties. “So compensation is payable nd would, under the cir- cumstances, be quite large.” He also emphasized that the heritage site declaration is “quite unnecessary” because West Vah already has strict control over Rockwoods, development of which was earlier made to a mandatory development permit. “There are many other areas in West Vancouver which should be declared heritage sites as well if you follow the same reasoning as for Rockwoods,” Roberts added. He suggested the only reason for designating the property as a heritage site would be because council wanted ‘‘absolute prohibitions against any development.” in camera was to advise the District that the City was not prepared to relax existing zoning on the site or change the zoning designated in the community plan. Alderman Gary Payne who was the only council member opposing’ the motion said “the story needs to be told.” He said that an offer had been received from the District, which borders the site, to purchase the property as parkland tf the City was prepared to zone the site as parkland and forgo taxes on the property. “Someone who does have the money 1s offemng to purchase green space in the City ... all we had to do ts get out of the way,” Payne said bitterly, “and we can't even do that.” “Other councils are going Meanwhile, the Rock- woods Association of local residents, which originally fought the development scheme tooth and nail, appears to have had some second thoughts. Roberts stressed that Cressey was prepared to develop the property within the development permit guidelines suggested by Chief Planner Steve Nichols — which provide for cluster housing and common areas instead of a conventional subdivision. Roberts claimed that members of the Rockwoods Association approved of those guidelines and this appeared to be confirmed by association representatives present at the meeting. They told council that, although many residents use the area as a place to walk or jog, their main aims are to to have to pay for this mistake,” he warned. “The time will come when our population is such that demands for more green space is such that we will have to go out and buy it.” Other council members were quick to counter these remarks. Alderman Elko Kroon said there was no guarantee that if the land was designated as green space that it would all be available for use by the public. “The District is not prepared to keep the Stoker farm building.” Alderman Stella Jo Dean said, pointing out that the focus of the campaign had been to save the building. The City would also lose $50,000 a year in taxes if the land became a park, she added preserve the natural beauty of the landscaping and honor the memory of its former owner, Major-General! Odlum. “A heritage site designation will be the next best thing to Rockwoods being an educational site and council will set a precedent in the province for preservation of land- scaping,” said association member Peter Buitenhuis. The Chief Planner’s guidelines for cluster development, he added, would fulfil most of the association’s requirements for preserving the trees and shrubs. A slide presentation of Rockwoods with detailed descriptions of the care with which General Odlum arranged the trees and shrubs 40 years ago capped the association’s plea that ects District's offer NO SHORTAGE Alderman Frank Marcino said there was plenty of park land for City residents in that area and that another park is planned for nearby Tempe Heights. “I don't think anyone need apologize for the way we vote,” Mayor Jack Loucks. But Alderman Payne was not persuaded by these arguments, and termed the decision “a black mark in the history of the City of North Vancouver.” Over 1000 signatures had been gathered by the Arts Council which § first suggested saving the site. But since the idea first came before council in early June, the Arts Council had been unable to find a way for somebody other than the City or Distnet to buy the site. N. Shore agenda highlights Agenda highlights items: WEST VANCOUVER (8 P.M.) Final adoption of | sign bylaw re West Van Presbytenan Church = and business licence bylaw re credit unions Advance Poll bylaw amcaodment original consideration West Vancouver financial statement for 1979 Communtty Services Advisory Commission ¢ hild IGLOO Gallery Gifts Truly Canadian for Monday's meetings of North Shore councils and school boards include the following care facilities North and West Van couver Emergency Program pension coordinator NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT (8 P.M.) Maplewood Centre Election policy discussion of raising number of aldermen to cight biennial clec tons Stoker farm mayor re Daycare and memo from rejection by City of Dastet offer to buy land NORTH VANCOUVER CITY (7:30 P.M.) Civic coat of arms Stratification apphcation 310/312 St. Georges Avenuc Development) of park adjacent to Emerald Park Lodge Wage Park | crosion at 206 West 22nd Street Replacement Pool of) Mahon Council indemnities discussion Trade Waste Disposal Complaint rear of = 2000 block on west side of Lonsdale Avenue Applications to rezone property at. 132) West Esplanade, 242 West 4th Street. south side of LUG bloch cast Ist Street For your Visitors to the North Snore or for yoursell Oman tive Arts or C rafts Soapstone - 8B C. Jade - Wood Carvings Apple Dollis - Cards & Prints Charms .,apliano Mall 985-6021 WEST VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD (7 P.M.) NORTH VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD (TUESDAY 7:30 P.M.) An assortment of quality used and thes any THE SOCIAL SCIENCES Pacific Books 1135 Lonsdale North Vancouver 980-2121 out oct poe anit the site be preserved “as much as is , humanly possible.” “The garden is a living, growing record of West Vancouver's past and roots, dialogue.” The next step, as far as: council is concerned, would be the submission of detailed plans by Cressey i = and it can so easily be cordance with destroyed, declared Planner's guidelines. associaticn member Catherine Moore. Meanwhile, the Heritage’ Council gave second Sites Act provides for reading to the heritage site compensation to be paid to bylaw but — on a motion by property owners whose Alderman Don Lanskail — deferred the third and final readings to allow ume for property decreases in value as the result of a heritage site: designation. DO YOU OWN SUEDIVIDEABLE PROPERTY? Biock Bros Contractors Ltd. urgently requires land for - single-family residential development. 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