12 - Sunday, December 25, 1988 - North Shore News

NORTH VAN CITY

Aldermen debate
policy objectives

NORTH VANCOUVER City’s mission statement of objec-
tives, pul ‘ogether at a recent weekend retreat, almost
became ‘miss..n impossible’ after council got bogged down

trading insults \‘onday.

Calling the missio. statement
“lofty and wordy,’ . d. Rod
Clark said he didn’t th-vk the
council retreat was necessary.

“The issues to be discussed aa
not merit a trip to the Sunshine
Coast,”* he suid.

Clark and Ald. John Braithwaite
did not attend the retreat.

Ald. Bill Bell defended the mis-
sion statement saying if was *tonly
a framework for the rest of the
work done at the retreat.”

Clark also criticized the social
housing policy developed at the
retreat, saying it put too much
emphasis on the Lower Lonsdale
area.

“To me an appropriate place for
social housing should not be on
such high-priced real estate,” he
said.

Other council! members said it
wasn't the intention of the motion
to guarantee social housing in
Lower Lonsdale, but only to con-
sider the area.

Ald. Barbara Sharp said the city
wanted to avoid ‘‘ghettoizing’’ in-
come groups.

“We want a mix of both income
levels and status,’ she said.

Clark disagreed with the
retreat’s illegal suite policy, which
initially encouraged studying sec-
ondary suites as a means of pro-
viding social housing.

“‘What (a suite) rents for is a
function of the marketplace,’’ said
Clark.‘And I can think of no finer
way (of ghettoizing) than pro-

Hy CORINNE BIORGE

Coatritnting Water

viting secial housing in secondary
suites."*

After citv. social) planner Jill
Davidson pave the definition of
social housing as being "provided
for people with special needs who
cannot compete in the housing
market," council amended the
motion to only consider studying
illegal suites for general housing
Purposes.

Mayor Jack Loucks said if was
more important for the city to
provide increased housing than to
regulate the occupants of illegal
suites.

‘St is my impression that (illegal
suites) provide a lot of housing
across the city,”’ said Loucks.

Loucks said there may be single
parents who prefer to raise their
children in residential areas rather
than an apartment.

“We should make (iHegal suites)
serve people who use them,’’ he
said.

Other policy considerations in-
cluded parking issues, preservation
of neighborhoods and a city
heritage policy.

Policy objectives approved by
council await cost projections and
studies by city staff, said city ad-
mninistrator Gerry Brewer.

All council retreat motions pass-
ed unanimously.

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