pStudy calls for
jaction on local
quality of life

mGVRD grapples with land-use,
(population pressures, livability

PEOPLE ARE “tired of
studies being an excuse for
§ lack of progress.””

By Martin Millerchip
& Contributing Writer

So says a discussion paper on
land-use planning prepared by the
Greater Vancouver Regional
District (GVRD) and presented to
North Vancouver District Council
by Vancouver Mayor Gordon
Campbell.

The GVRD is re-evaluating, if
fm not reinventing itself, and claims a
me popular mandate: ‘People expect
us to act quickly and positively to
protect our quality of life.’

Campbell is in the midst of a
concentrated series of visits to
Me regional councils in his role as

7 GYRD chairman to promote con-
tinued municipai interest and par-
ticipation in collective action on
planning issues.

Campbell's discussion paper is
the culmination of the GVRD’s
Ongoing attempt to grapple with
the Lower Mainland’s exploding
population growth and the wishes
of residents to protect ‘‘livabili-
ty.’

As the paper notes, the Lower
Mainland presents the challenge of
being the fastest growing metro-
politan region in Canada with the
most limited land base of any
metropolitan area in North
America.

Complicating ati planning issues
are:

@ the ecological and economic
importance of the Fraser River;

@ the best agricultural land in
Canada;
athe importance of the Pacific
Flyway for migratory birds.

The GVRD began a vear of
research, discussion and public
consultation on regional planning
issues in 1989 culminating with the
adoption in July 1990 of a policy
paper entitled Creating Our
Future: Steps To A More Livable
Region.

The 54 steps were then cir-
culated to the member
municipalities for comment.

The comments were not always
kind.

Surrey’s director of planning
and development services, Johnny
Carline, noted the ‘‘jurisdictional
uncertainty and ambiguous pur-
pose’’ of the document.

‘*Many of the actions are con-
versational (e.g. conferences),
paper tigers (¢.g. creating goals)
acd encouragement to others to
act. As understandable as this
may be, the preponderance of
these ‘pseudo-actions’ weigh the
document down.

**When all is said and done, it
seems there will be a lot more said
than done,” Carline said.

But Carline zeroed in on the
issue of an ‘turban containment
policy, establishing a greenline
beyond which development is not
allowed” as having ‘‘substance.’’

Campbell told district council in
his Nov. 4 presentation that the
greenline concept grew out of a
decision to approach land-use
planning ‘from a different direc-
tion.

“*<Ve will start by identifying all
the other uses. all the other re-
quirements for land use, and what
is left over we will reserve for ur-
ban develapment.’*

Campbeil’s suosequent warning
of responsibilities in :egionai
preservation mav have signiticant

NORTH VANCOUVER

DISTRICT COUNCIL

financial implications.

‘Sf it is agreed to preserve
Delta's farmland, for instance,
then the North Shore would have
te share in the responsibilities as
well as the benefits of that,” said
Campbell.

Cartine was not alone in his
criticism of the 54 recommenda-
tions.

Richmond’s advisory planning
commission summed up its gencral
observations in five statements:

@ the number of recommenda-
tions is overwhelming:

e@ this creates problems
priorities for implementation;
@ the cost of the infrastructure
for the implementation will be
enormous;

@ the effect of the document will
be to create another level of bu-
feaucracy to act as an_ in-
termediary between local govern-
ment and senior levels of govern-
ment;

@ some of the recommendations
appear to be working at cross—
purposes with a senior level of
government.

Campbell acknowledged the
cost factor of the proposals in his
presentation.

“it's all very well to talk about
creating our future, but we have
to finance our future,"’ he said.

But he offered no solutions tor
the financing of billions of dollars
that will be required for capital
expenditures in the areas ot water
treatment, tiquid-waste manage-
ment, transportation and social
programs.

“AN ot these programs are zo-
ing to exceed our ability to pay
unless we can come up with a wav
to plan our finances,'’ said
Campbell.

Campbell acknowlecged that
some municipalities are concerned
that a stronger and more formal
mandaie for regional planning
could create a regional district
capable of over-ruling
municipalities on area-specific de-
velopment issues.

But the discussion paper asks
whether a consensus-based ap-
proach will ensure that regional
interests will prevail where ap-
propriate and whether enough
weight will be given to the inter-
ests of various eco-systems and
the needs of future generations.

The difficulty of arriving at
consensus on any regional issue
was illustrated by a variety of
questions from district aldermen
who wanted their say on such
issues as:

@ the need for a rapid
plan for the North Shore;

@ flogging in the watershed:
@ reduction of rush-hour transit
fares;

@ and metered water consump-
tion to reduce the need for costly
filtration.

The GVRD says its ‘‘activities
push the present mandate to its
limits. If this mandate is found to
be inadequate from the jurisdic-
tional, environmental. social, eco-
nomic. or geographic perspective.
then legisiative changes will be
needed.*’

with

uransit

Campbell wants ail the Lower
Mainland councils to respond by
the end of the vear to the ques-
tions:

@ What ts the regioniaa interest /
@ When should it prevail?

NEWS photo Ne!f Lucente

EAGLE HARBCtUR Community Centre is hosting a ‘Cafe Ole’’ Mexican theme party tonight from
7-9 p.m. Julia (Cabrera (from Pepita’s) will be on hand to perform traditional Mexican music;
dessert and cofite (provided by Murchie’s) will be available; and for the kids - pinatas, a movie
and ‘‘south of ths border’ snacks. Tickets are $5 per person and must be purchased in advance

at 5575 Marine D: ive, West Vancouver. Phone 921-7425 for more information.

Area growth concerns residents

Gordon Campbell was
greeted with some critical
concerns from West
Vancouver District
Council! members when
he raised area planning
issues in his presentation
as Greater Vancouver
Regional District (GVRD)
chairman.

Campbell talked briefly
about some of the issues the
GVRD is exploring such as
improving drinking water qual-
itv, encouraging a healthy
economy, keeping rivers and
beaches clean, assuring ade-
quate and affordable housing,

WEST VANCOUVER
DISTRICT COUNCIL

protecting agricultural and
wilderness area and ensuring
clean air.

@ Ald. Don Griffiths observed
that Campbell seems to accept
the predictions that the popula-
tion in the Vancouver area will
grow to 10 million.

“Shouldn't we encourage
some of that growth to happen
elsewhere?” said Griffiths, who
described :nwe people as both
‘‘an asset and an expense.’”

Campbell said the GVRD
could adopt an ‘turban con-
tainment policy,’’ and then en-
sure that other issues, such as

transportation planning, rein-
force such strategies.

“T sincerely believe we can
manage this growth... and give
cur children a cleaner en-
vironment than we were
given,’’ he said.

@ Ald. Rod Day accused
Campbeil of ‘‘dodging’’ the
population-growth issue.

**The Vancouver area is
beautiful, but it is not gcing to
be livable if it continues to
grow as it is,’’ said Day.

Campbell warned of the
ramifications of stopping
growth.

He reminded council that
growth pressures are both in-
ternal — from local families
growing — and from people
moving here from elsewhere.

Burrard Inlet clean-up discussed

VANCOUVER MAYOR
Gordon Campbell told
North Vancouver City
Council Nov. 4 that the
Greater Vancouver
Regional District (GVRD)
is getting involved in the
clean-up of Burrard Inlet
and the Fraser
but does not intend to be
involved in any Howe
Sound clean-up cfforts
because it isn’t in the

VANCOUVER MAYOR
!
I

Valley, ©

NORTH VANCOUVER
CITY COUNCIL

Campbeil also spoke of a
green zone that would be des-
ignated green space throughout
the region and set aside before
any further planning is done.

@ In repiy to North Vancouver
City Mayor Jack Loucks’
comment that tne green zone is
an altempt to put green space
first and not add it to devei-
opment clans ays an aster-
thought. Campbell said the

+ GVRD region. GVRD’s iand base must be us-

ed carefully.

By putting green space first

on the development agenda, he
said the region can build a
parks system that represents ‘‘a
strong green line’’ through the
region,
@ Also discussed were the
tegion’s commitment to im-
rroving local air quality, par-
ticularly because the GVRD
likely degrades air qualitv in
areas to the east of the region.
said Campbell.

City council sent the GVRD
‘report back to its staff for a
report fo council.

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