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More Burnaby demovictions to be discussed at public hearing

Tuesday hearing will address a series of rezoning proposals
demoviciton hearing
Residents came out to oppose proposed demovictions at the last public hearing.

Less than a month after Burnaby councillors were berated by residents over plans to allow the demolition of aging apartment buildings to be replaced by highrises, they appear ready to face the music again.

On Tuesday, June 26, the City of Burnaby will host a public hearing for similar rezoning applications. 

During the last public hearing on May 29, Mayor Derek Corrigan and the city’s seven councillors were harshly criticized in a series of emotional speeches.

A 24-storey highrise and townhomes, if approved, would replace three lowrise walk-up apartment buildings on Marlborough Avenue. In order for that to happen, council would have to approve rezoning from RM3 multiple family residential district (RM3) to comprehensive development district (CD).

City staff has recommended council approve a rezoning application for 5895 Barker Ave., currently home to a three-storey apartment building in Metrotown. The developer wants to build a 34-storey, 220-unit apartment building in its place.

“Overall, the proposal is considered to embody exceptional urban design and architectural expression in terms of the building’s siting, massing, pedestrian orientation and materiality, thus meeting the standards and objectives for such development in the Central Park East Neighbourhood,” reads a staff report.

Another proposal on Tuesday’s docket has a contentious backstory – the redevelopment of the old Royal Canadian Legion hall site on Hastings Street in North Burnaby. 

The local Legion branch struck a deal with a developer in 2012. The two-storey building was demolished, but the five-storey multi-use building meant to replace it by 2015 never got built. 

A rift opened between the 148 branch and the provincial body overseeing it over how to proceed.

Later, a new developer was brought in and now a revised plan for the property is before council.

The plan calls for a new five-storey proposal, including a bar open to the public on Hastings Street. The floors above will include apartments. 

Another highrise proposal is on the docket Tuesday for a 27-storey apartment building in Brentwood that would replace an aging industrial building on Alpha Avenue. A proposal to build a single-family home, add a vestibule to a building already under construction and an amaendment to the bylaw requiring new buildings to have electric vehicle charging will also be up for discussion at the public hearing.