- Wednesday, March JO. 198K

North Shore News

Residents, council face off
over W. Van expropriation

NEITHER SIDE is backing down yet in the contest between
West Vancouver District and the Cragg brothers of Thorcon
Industries over waterfront property at 1734 Argyle Avenue.

Although two attempts at- ex-
propriating the property have fail-
ed, district council voted Monday
to confirm its intention of acquir-
ing all of the lands between 14th
Street and 18th Street for park
purposes, and disallowing any fur-
ther residential development or
renovation valued in excess of
$15,000.

At the same time, Dr. and Mrs.
George Collins and Mr, and Mrs.
Lloyd Williams of the 1700 block
Argyle have thrown their lots in
with the Craggs and applied for
building permits.

The Williams say they wish to
renovate to the tune of $38,000 to
$43,000, while the Collins have
applied to build a duplex.

It was the Craggs’ application
for a building permit to build a
duplex that forced council to begin
expropriation proceedings last
year,

“Assuming that your policy is in
place, council will immediately
have to expropriate these proper-
lies, too,’’ pointed out Robert
Anderson, lawyer for the Cragg
brothers.

Anderson estimated that it could
cost $2. million to $3 million to
buy up these two properties, as
well as the Craggs’, and questioned
the municipality’s ability to do so
and wisdom in so doing.

“We don't have to expropriate
any property and there’s nothing
to say we have to do it this year,”
argued Ald. Dave Finlay.

Municipal manager Terry
Lester, when asked, said it was
within the. district’s capability to
buy the three properties at once, if
necessary,

Anderson, in his presentation to
council that evening, questioned
whether the 1700 block was really
part of the district's long-term pol-
cy of acquiring waterfront proper-
ty for public use.

Anderson quoted from council
discussions over the past years
which have included the possibility
of continuing the seawalk away
from the waterfront in portions,
such as along Argyle Ave. in the

- 1700 block. , :

But Mayor Don Lanskail, one of
the original instigators years ago of
the plan for a continuous seawalk
from: Dundarave to Cleveland
Dam, pointed to the fact that
council has been buying property
in the 1700 block since the 1970s.

: against the

Lester went on to cite resolu.
tions made over the years that
confirmed the plans for public use
of that block.

“Besides, one council does not
bind another council," said Finlay.

“It's what council decides to-
night,"" added Ald. Mark Sager.

Sul, Sager went on to em-
phasize that council’s plans were
for a ‘‘longterin goal for a spectac-

‘tular waterfront park.’*

“Look to the future... If you
don't like this document (Nicholl's
report on council’s waterfront ac-
quisition policy) then give me your
vision for the future of West Van-
couver,”’ challenged Sager.

But Anderson argued that coun-
cil had not bought the property the
Craggs’ subsequently purchased
when it was offered to them, and
pointed to the discussions council
members had indulged in concern-
ing what sort of residential
develooment in which owners of
1700 block property might become
involved.

Lanskail explained that 1734
Argyle had been offered to them
first at an excessive price of about
$630,000.

Six months
Craggs bought the
$535,000.

George Cragg told the News that
municipal staff had not advised
him against buying the currently
duplex-zoned Argyle property, and
had told him that a three or
fourplex might be acceptable on
the site.

Sager admitted that the
municipality had discussed the
possibility of some kind of resi-
dential development on the site.
This would have involved closing
up Argyle Avenue, and giving the
property owners land on the
avenue in exchange for land on the
waterfront for seawalk.

But council was not receptive
when approached with a proposal
for a five-storey apartment
building. /

Lanskail, fold Anderson and the
Crages that council will be
challenging Supreme Court Justice
John ,Spencer’s recent ruling
municipality’s ex-
propriation ‘bylaw, which was bas-
ed on the wording of the stated in-
tention for the property.

afterwards, the
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The Ambleside & Dundarave
Ratepayers, West Vancouver
Chamber of Commerce and
Ambleside Village Business
Association all) wrote fetters in
support of council's policy of
waterfront acquisition,

“To allow any landowners to
insert any new development which
would postpone these benefits,
from so much investment, for
another 50 to 100 years would be a
real tragedy’? said West Van-
couver Chamber president Bill
Soprovich,

‘|,.Council has been consistent
with the principles and rules
established for a very long time
regarding these lands," added
Ambleside & Dundarave
Ratepayers president Capt. George
Murrell.

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