Dear Editor,
[Re: LETTER – Council needs to consider long-term livability in Maple Ridge, Sept. 27, mapleridgenews.com]
I am writing in response to a letter from Marie Robson regarding Maple Ridge needing more parks, not high-density townhome projects.
The mayor and council have become tone deaf to the citizens of this community.
Don’t bother attending a council meeting; they won’t let you speak. Don’t bother emailing the mayor or council with questions or concerns; they will not respond. Don’t bother submitting a petition, as they will not respond either.
Council is approving these high-density townhome projects with no public consultation and allowing the developers to continue providing inadequate parking facilities. This is one of the reasons why street parking has become a nightmare.
Have you ever driven down 240 Street after 5 p.m., and noticed how the clogged street parking is prevalent at, or near the townhouse developments?
Council recently approved for the remaining land at Wynnyk farm (240 Street and Kanaka Creek Road) to be rezoned from single-family residential, to multi-residential.
So much for the commitment made to the citizens that built their home in what they thought was a single-family residential neighbourhood.
The re-zoning approval allows the developer to build 153 townhomes with an amenity building. The developer is only required to provide 20 per cent visitor parking (20% X 153=30 stalls) which explains why street parking around these developments has grown into such a problem.
The 153 families need to make sure they don’t have an over abundance of visitors because there will be no where to park.
The developer is also building another track of townhouses on 240 Street, and those citizens will be able to use the amenities as well. Wonder where they will park? (With the recent murders apparently over street parking, maybe council should place higher expectations on the developers to provide adequate parking in these developments).
As another option, instead of being forward thinking and using the land to expand the Kanaka Creek fish gate park for the citizens, we will have another massive townhouse development, the traffic and the street parking will become even worse on 110 Avenue and the side streets, and 240 Street will become a freeway.
Marie is right, council wants the residential taxes because of the lack of business taxes and could not care less what the citizens of this community want or need.
Sandy Lewke, Maple Ridge