There are a lot of conditions that have to be met before a new Maple Ridge Chrysler dealership is built on a vacant property just off the northern approach to the Golden Ears Bridge
It is a 3.5-hectare property that was once part of the Meadow Gardens Golf Course lands, but was severed from the club by the construction of the approach to Golden Ears Bridge. The triangular lot, located immediately east of the bridge’s northern approach, has been vacant since.
The dealership would be located in Pitt Meadows, and Mayor John Becker said he supports the business based on the tax revenue and employment that it would bring.
“Now it’s going to be even closer than you think,” he quipped, referring to the dealership’s advertising slogan.
However, the City of Maple Ridge will have to agree to service the lot with sewer and water for the development to proceed.
Pitt Meadows Council has officially asked for that, and there is precedent with other properties build along the border between the two communities.
Translink must also approve access to the site, which would come off Golden Ears Way.
And the developers are contacting the Ministry of Transportation about access off the Lougheed Highway –although Pitt Meadows planner Dana Parr said that is not crucial to the project, because the principle access would be off Golden Ears Way.
The property would still need to be rezoned from outdoor recreation use to highway commercial.
Becker said the dealership would face conditions and restrictions in its lighting, lot speakers, landscaping, building height and in other areas to ensure it does not disrupt the residential neighbours in a subdivision on 201st Street in Maple Ridge.
The developers held a public meeting on July 29, and residents voiced concerns about traffic, noise, light pollution, parking overflow onto their street and drainage.
Pitt Meadows staff noted “generally residents seemed to favour some kind of commercial development over residential development on this site.”
Becker said council wants to be good neighbours to Maple Ridge in the development of the site, and said the developers are taking the same approach.
“These are community people,” he said, adding they don’t want something ugly that disrupts the neighbourhood.
The development would include a two-storey, 56,600-square-foot building in the middle of the lot, with a showroom facing Golden Ears Way. It would have 586 spaces for car storage and parking.
The Pitt Meadows economic development corporation said the development is a good fit, but voiced concerns about traffic safety at access points off the Lougheed Hwy. and Golden Ears Way.