A proposal to put up three 14-storey residential towers in an area that’s been planned for buildings that are supposed to be only five-storeys high cleared its first hurdle Tuesday.
Maple Ridge council approved first reading, sending the project to second reading and most likely a public hearing.
Concordia Homes, which has developed many condo buildings in the area, wants to build the towers on 227th Street, just below Lougheed Highway and the new Maple Ridge Community Gaming Centre. The project would have about 250 condos and provide more green space on the site, if allowed to increase in height, council heard previously.
Condos OK’d
Maple Ridge council gave final approval to a 10-unit townhouse project, just north of the downtown at 22388 – 124th Ave. The new homes will be located on two lots at the corner of 224th Street.
Meanwhile, another 10 apartments proposed for 11544 – 207th St. will go to second reading public hearing for feedback from residents. Nabob Homes wants to put up the new building after the existing buildings have been taken down.
The district’s advisory design panel made some suggestions for project, including using permeable paving stones to reduce the amount of ground covered by pavement.
Some neighbours were concerned about parking shortages and tree retention, says a staff report. However, old trees will be kept and 26 new trees will be added.
Request deferred
Council has deferred a request to put in a larger-than-allowed garden suite on McNutt Road, in east Maple Ridge, and will discuss it at a later committee meeting. Staff recommended rejecting the request because Maple Ridge’s zoning bylaw requires that suites be no more than 90 square metres in area. The homeowner wanted to build an 111 sq. m (1,194 sq. ft) suite.
for use by their daughter and grandchildren. A staff report says limiting the size of garden suites helps reduce the number of complaints about parking, noise and pets. The applicant also could bring in a mobile home on to the site, which could be provide more space. But that would have to be hauled away once it was no longer needed by the family.
Staff said that allowing a larger garden suite would set a precedent.
Grants approved
A total of $61,600 in community grants has been dished out by the district this year. Council approved giving the Alouette Home Start Society $8,400 to help with the property taxes for the Iron Horse youth safe house and for general assistance; $12,000 to the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Agricultural Association to help with the annual country fair; $4,000 to the Family Education and Support Centre for community kitchens; $3,000 to the Maple Ridge Lions Club for the Halloween fireworks display; $17,000 to the Friends in Need Food Bank; $6,000 to the Haney Farmer’s Market; and $11,115 to the Salvation Army for their work helping people with food and shelter.
Higher rates for water, sewer
Approval has been given for hikes in water, sewer and recycling charges in Maple Ridge.
This year, the rates tying into the Metro Vancouver’s sewer system, that are tacked on to June’s property tax bill, will go up five per cent.
Recycling fees, collected to help the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society which processes all the reusables, will go up by six per cent.
And the rates residents pay for the use of Metro Vancouver’s water will go up by nine per cent, to help pay for the new water treatment systems in the region.
The increases, which total about another $53 for single family homes, were given third reading at council’s Tuesday meeting.