Dear Editor:
Re: Developers taking over city, Letters to the editor, Burnaby NOW, Aug. 31
I completely understand Mr. Week's frustration with city hall's position with respect to density bonusing in Burnaby. In December 2010, council changed the rules regarding building heights. This singular change paved the way for the numerous towers proposed and approved in excess of 45 floors.
As far as I can tell, this bylaw change was developer-driven. With such a fundamental change in the development of the town centers, one would logically expect a rigorous community consultation process that would ultimately end up as a referendum question at municipal election time. Sadly, this never happened. The current council will not even entertain the suggestion of a moratorium on s-zoning or submission of the bylaw to a referendum.
It is worth noting that in September 2011 the city's advisory planning committee defeated two motions to support the rezoning applications for the prominent SOLO project at Brentwood and the equally ambitious Station Square redevelopment at Metrotown.
Given the scale of these proposed development, further clarity was needed regarding the transportation and infrastructure requirements to accommodate the rezoning application.
Did these concerns carry any weight with planners or council?
Since 2008, Mayor Derek Corrigan and his party have spent well over half a million dollars to ensure their stranglehold on city hall and the school board and to convince voters that they are the best people to lead the city. Without any dissenting voices in Burnaby's halls of power, developers, not the residents, will continue to shape Burnaby's future.
Rick McGowan, Burnaby
