Maple Ridge council has told a builder to come up with a new plan for an apartment block to replace Sunrise Court, which was destroyed by fire almost two years ago.
The city also wants a strategy to ensure that the people living in the company’s adjoining apartment block will be able to afford to move into the new units.
Viam Holdings is proposing to put two new apartment buildings on the property at 222nd Street and 121st Avenue, providing a total of 291 new one-, two- and three-bedroom rental apartments.
Council liked the proposal, but wants to ensure that people who live there now are able to live in the newer building.
Council deferred second reading of the application until two plans are in place.
“My concern still rests with what’s happening to the people who are in there, because our city ends up dealing with the people who fall on to the streets. I think a lot of the people who are in this current building are people who are right at the edge,” Mayor Nicole Read said at council’s Dec. 6 meeting.
“So if we don’t transition them, then they could fall out on the streets.”
If the city approves Viam’s application, those who are living in the Sorrento Apartments, at 22260 – 122nd Ave., will be offered first choice of suites in the new building. Then demolition can proceed with the Sorrento, part of the same complex, allowing construction of the second new building.
In all, the 54 units at the Sunrise and the 41 units at the Sorrento will be replaced by a total of 291 new apartments.
Coun. Bob Masse wanted to ensure people would be able to afford to move into the new apartments, but he didn’t know if the city legally could require that.
City development manager Chuck Goddard staff told council the city does have legal authority to require that current residents of the apartment complex will be able to afford to move into the new apartments
The applicant is already offering first choice into the new units or other units, as well as financial help for moving costs.
But Masse said that wouldn’t prevent higher rents from being charged.
Council voted to defer second reading of the proposal until a property management plan shows how the new buildings will be maintained and how it will comply with building and fire codes, along with another plan that shows how existing tenants will be accommodated and how future rents will be established.
Coun. Gordy Robson wanted a more uniform approach applied across the whole city.
“To pick one when they’re building 291 new units is barking up the wrong tree.”
Read said dozens of residents left homeless as a result of the fire in March 2015 and bused to the emergency reception centre.
More than 100 people were affected.
Read said that all building owners in the city should look at safety issues for all the buildings and that all building owners should review building safety.