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COLORING CONTEST winners Natalie Crema (left), age four, David Dhaliwal, nine,
Sebastian Crema (right), five, hold up their prizes and artwork. BCAA. Travel.
Agency representative Lorraine Smith (second from right) presented the kids with
their prizes on Wednesday.

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Hot cars are hot with
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Development versus greenspace

WITH 18 months still to go before the
next municipal election, one of the
major issues in that election is already
taking shape in North Vancouver
District.

NORTH VANCOUVER
DISTRICT COUNCIL
By Martin Millerchip

On Monday night. council vigerously debat-
ed for the second time in two weeks its long-
range plans for the urban reserves of Cove
Forest and Mountain Forest.

At issue was a staff report on the status of
reconnaissance plans relating to landscape, fish,
wildlife and environmental assessment in the
areas that an increasing number of Seymour res-
idents say they want preserved iw their natural
state.

While the report was received unanimously,
a subsequent motion preposed by Coun. Jim
Cuthbert calling for a deferment of further
action was defeated 4-3.

The motion asked staff to “submit a report by
June | outlining options to gauge public opinion
on the proposed two neighborhoods amongst
District of North Vancouver residents.”

The Mountain Forest area is north of
Seymour Parkway bounded on the west by
Berkley Avenue and on the east by Mount
Seymour Road. Cove Forest is east of Mount
Seymour Road and west of Indian River Drive
in the Deep Cove area.

District pianner Irwin Torry told council:
“The estimates that are in the (Seymour Official
Community) plan (for) 900 units in Cove Forest
and 1,250 units in Mountain Forest were based
on some pretty gross assumptions and_ this
(reconnaissance) is a step in fine-tuning it.

“We may find out at the end of the day that
we've got significantly less land that’s capable
of being developed.”

Torry also implied that he would consider
higher densities over traditional single-family
neighborhoods to preserve more forested areas.

Councillors Janice Harris and Ernie Crist
supported Cuthbert’s motion and rejected the
notion of spending any money on studies in the
areas.

“The thing is, once you support an assess-

ment you are, in essence, supporting some kind
of development in both of these forested areas,”
said Harris.

“Facile, professional studies will give you
what you want. They are going to go in with the
premise that counci! wants 2,150 units of hous-
ing.”

Coun. Emie Crist agreed, saying he could
not support tre increased development in
Seymour on transportation grounds alone:
“2,150 homes would equal 8,000 car trips a day.

“There are no advantages. None. We'll end
up with a larger community, not a richer com-
munity or a better community.”

But other members of council argued that
reconnaissunce studies of the urban reserves
would provide useful information to council.

“We need to know the facts, exactly what it
is we are dealing with. Each and every one of
you would benelit from that information,” said
Mayor Murray Dykeman.

Atone point it looked as if Cuthbert’s motion
would pass with the suppurt of Coun, Don Bell.

Bell said he had noted that many of the resi-
dents currently opposing development of the
urban reserves were not involved in the [970-85
planning process for Seymour.

“Some kind of planning process has to be

See Forest page §