Ate age ates PT VAY Ree, OE BE Ce NNT: be A ; ¥ . $: 3 i i i TON mate feat tH te the Apron eget Ment wine Canada’s Number: Suburban. Newspaper. THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANC Residents fi Ag UPPER LYNN valley residents were out in force Monday night fighting to preserve the character of their neighborhood. Six residents told North Vancouver District Council they are against a proposed zoning change that reduces fot sizes in the Phyllis Avenue and Burrill Road area. Phyllis Avenue resident Derek Andrews says a new petition shows the vast ma- jority of residents are against the proposed charige. This petition, submitted last Thursday with 34 residents against rezoning, follows an earlier survey done in 1982. That survey indicated most residents were in favor of the rezoning. But Andrews said people petitioned thought they were choosing between 33 foot and 50 foot lots, which i not the case because most houses are built on double and triple lots. REZONING OPPOSED Andrews also submitted six more names of people opposed to the rezoning. District planner Kai Kreuchen suggested the rezoning would realistically result in one 99-foot lot be- ing subdivided into two lots consistent with existing tots in the area. The rezoning may even THE TURBULENT waters of Cypress Creek continue to worry flood-threatened residents liv- ing along the creek bank. “We're terrified we will be flooded out this winter,” said Francis Barthropp, member of the Cypress Park Flood Committee, The residents are also upset that West Vancouver District municipality has done nothing about the flood potential. In August the municipali- ty, with a pledged financial help from the federal ministry of fisheries and oceans, tried to construct a ‘debris pit up-stream. The debris pit was phase one of a $2.2 million flood control project for Cypress Creek. PLAN PROTESTED But the plan brought a flood of complaints from upstream residents (Cypress Creek Concerned Citizens) affected by the unsightly col- prevent this property from being redeveloped into three 33-foot lots when and if the area is designated a small lot in-fill area. But Andrews doubts the area will become a small lot in-fill area. Small lots make up only 18 per cent of the proposed rezoning area, says Andrews, but small lot in-fill requires 50 per ceni of the Jots to be small. “By allowing people to subdivide to 45 foot tots the neighborhood is being push- By ROSS MEEK lection pit, and it was del: :ed for at Jeast a year. In she interim, residents living along the creek said the municipality should clear debris from the creek, both below and above Marine Drive, so heavy runoff won’t back up and flood their homes, Said Barthropp: ‘‘This Jack of remedial steps appears to be diametrically opposed to coun- cil members’ so-recent and hearilty-expressed concern for the flood-threatened taxpayers of Cypress Park.” The creek bed has raised six feet since it was last surveyed in 1972, says Bar- thropp. But the municipality feels clearing the lower creek ght for neighbe ed toward small lot in-fill,’”’ said Andrews. “And we're definitely opposed to that.’” MONEY INVESTED The area, says Andrews, is characterized by large houses on large fois, not small houses on small lots — something most neighbors want to preserve because they've spent considerable money upgrading their homes, . Andrews also argued that reducing the lot size for the course is unnecessary, while clearing the creek’s middle section is the owners’ re- sponsibility. The residents upstream of Marine Drive (including Barthropp) own the creek bottom and, therefore, are responsible for its maintenance, said West Vancouver Mayor Derrick Humphreys. EMERGENCY DREDGING The creek was dredged above Marine Drive in 1983 but only because it was an emergency situation, Hum- phreys said. The municipali- ty does maintain the creek below Marine Drive and the creek mouth, Humphrey’s is still hoping the municipality, the resi- dents and federal fisheries can agree on a plan for the debris pit and flood diver- sion course. See Dredging Page 10 area was contrary to the Lynn Valley Community Plan, which calls for the preservation of the current variety of housing. Milos Hudec, the lone res- ident speaking in favor of the zoning change, said the zoning’ should change because only six lots in the area presently conform to the existing zoning. The issue will return tc council following another staff report dealing with the questions raised at the public hearing.