Sistas J “ development, 3 - Sunday, April 16. 1989 - Lynn Valley Echo _ Residential developments planned | GROUP FEARS FOR PARK’S FUTURE A GROUP of. Lynn Valley residents is concerned that aspects of the Seymour Official Community Plan (OCP) pose a major threat to Lynn Cenyon Park. The plan, which was adopted by district council in: December 1985, includes. two residential neighborhoods in the inter-river area between Lynn Creek and the Seymour River (see map). David Blacoe, a member of the Save-Our-Parks Committee, which is an offshoot of the Lynn Valley u Community Association, says the park is vulnerable becatise its legal .. boundaries are vague. ‘- In fact, little’ of what most peo- a ple perceive as Lynn Canyon Park is in fact dedicated parkland. ok ‘ “The ‘discrepancy is between what: people see as Lynn Canyon Park and what t the bylaw says,”” . ‘Blacoe noted. - '¢, The bylaw — number 5912: — ‘referred to by Blacoe is'a year-old statement’ that . dedicates . certain areas as Lynn Canyon Park, while _ revoking other areas that. were given parkland status by. a. 1920s bylaw. Although the parkland bound- aries designated in the most recent bylaw are still not absolutely clear, the suspension bridge is not con- sidered within the park... - .The lands surrounding the park proper. are instead zoned Parks, Recreation -and . Open ' Space (PRO), a category which, subject to public hearing, can be rezoned to allow for residential develop- ments of the type outlined in the Seymour OCP. The Save-Our-Parks Committee wants a greater area of land desig- nated as park‘to protect it from but committee members are not in accord as to the amount. © : While Lynn Valley Community “Association (LVCA) president ~- Derek’ Andrews said his personal opinion was that development should be allowed outside the area ’. which is currently perceived by the public to be Lyan Canyon Park, he says. other members of the committee want park designation from Rice Lake down to the ceme- tery at the end of Lillooet Road. To this end, the committee ‘manned an information booth at Lynn Valley Centre April 8, and collected a petition of approxi- mately 400 names in support of an increase in the amount of dedicated parkland. . Blacoe said between 30 and 40 people also signed up April 8 to volunteer their time for the Save- ‘Our-Parks effort. Volunteers will . be taking the. group’s petition door-to-door in the Lynn Valley area beginning Monday. Also at the display were copies of maps from UBC's map library indicating the change in unofficial park: boundaries from 1912 to the present. Blacoe ‘notes the area delineated as Lynn Canyon Park has decreased steadily since 1945, DEREK ANDREWS ... president of the Lynn Valley Community Association which has spawned a Save-Our-Park Committee. The Seymour ocP states ‘‘the eastern boundary of Lynn Canyon Park will be established to define and protect the limits of this district level park,’ but according to district planner Laura Lee Richard, this will probably not oc- cur until the planning department creates a neighborhood design plan closer to the time the development goes ahead — in about 10 or 15 ears. , “It would be done as part of the whole process of developing the neighborhood,” she said, noting that the two residential areas in question, Lynnden Forest and Lake Forest, comprise Phase II of the Seymour OCP. She says planning staff members support the developments outlined in the GCP, which-she believes allows for a good balance between forested area and urban develop- ment. Much of the OCP was based on . the -Seymour. Development Pro- gram, adopted by council in 1983. Richard says the public had a great “deal of input into the program in the mid-1970s, and that public hearings and meetings: were held prior to the 1985 adoption of the OCP in 1985. . However, she says the two in- ter-river residential areas have never been a topic of controversy within the public arena. ‘ Although Richard says the draft North Vancouver District OCP map, which shows the Seymour developments but has not yet been . adopted, was recently sent to every | household in the district,’ Blacoe says that 80 per cent — “‘that’s a conservative figure’? — of local residents he has spoken with say they never received it. The northernmost planned neighborhood, Lake Forest, con- sists of 65 hectares of land with 1,000 potential dwelling units and a population forecast of 2,700. Features include a community park, two neighborhood parks and a local commercial area. | : Lynnden Forest is intended to consist of 56 hectares of land, with 900 potential dwelling units and a population forecast of 2,500. Features for this neighborhood would include two neighborhood parks, an elementary school site and .a neighborhood commercial centre. The general housing mix for both neighborhoods would likely be predominantly ; small-lot, detached housing and low and medium density townhouses, with an overall density of 25 units per hectare. - Richard said for the Save-Our- Park Committee to be successful in its quest to have the PRO lands rezoned to designated parkland, it would have to convince the district to hold a public hearing, after which council may or may not ap- prove any change in zoning status. In the meantime, ber department has been instructed by council to prepare a report on the current parkland status in response to the Save-Our-Park Committee’s con- cerns. Blacoe, who has spoken with the owner of the Lillooet Road Tall Mountain Riding Stable and local hiking and recreation clubs, says, “Ff this development does go through, there are going to be a lot of people affected.’’ He is also concerned about. the effect of development: on the Seymour hatchery: and the sport fishing resource enjoyed by Seymour River fishing enthusiasts. An information booth will be set up at Lynn Valley Centre on every Saturday until Sunday, May 7, See Rally Page 10 between Lynn Creek, Seymour River \LS Rice Lake Possible connector route—_ Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge “ Proposed major road THE DOTTED area in the map above indicates the two proposed resl- dential developments that are part of Seymour's Official Community Plan. A Lynn Valley-based group, concerned about the loss of greenbelt area in what is commonly considered Lynn Canyon Park, is circulating a petition to have more Jand rezoned as municipally dedicated parkland. ORGANIC P PRODUCE : NOW AVAILABL ENJOY: Foods free of. carcinogens and toxic residues! ENJOY food which is . better tasting, more vital anc health enhancing! Z get. “BC. RUSSETT " POTATOES