Editor, The News:
Re: New condominium complex riles residents of Copperstone Ridge (The News, June 10).
My father and I currently own the two-acre property at 12297 – 222nd Street, which is adjacent to the site under development consideration.
We purchased the property in 2009, pleased to have such a lovely private space while still being in an urban environment.
In the article, John Kelly refers to his concerns about the variances requested by the developer and there are responses via the District of Maple Ridge (I presume), which state that residents were sent letters and had their chance to speak.
Firstly, the development application posted on the property is from 2008 and shows a meeting for June of that year. It has been on the property since then and when I called municipal hall about it, I was informed that the application was not going forward.
The sign has never been removed or changed.
Secondly, the letter that was sent out was dated May 19, 2011, which was a Thursday. I would be surprised if it made it into the post on that day as most mail is sent out at the end of the day. Ergo, mail would have left on Friday. It was a long weekend so there was no delivery on Monday. That means that the sorting process may or may not have been done until the Tuesday. That leaves four days and then another weekend before the council meeting on Monday.
The chances of everyone getting their chance to speak were negligible.
I did not receive the letter until two days after the meeting.
After having this project tabled for so long, to have it rushed through in this manner is ridiculous.
I understand the district’s position on densification, but not at the expense of current residents by having this kind of apartment building in an area that is clearly not ready for it. All the surrounding homes are single family dwellings on septic.
Copperstone Ridge, on the north side of the proposed site, has been done in a tasteful manner that has maintained the integrity of the space and has been a welcome addition to the area.
Something similar would have been much more suitable that the buildings that are proposed.
Crystal Rayment
Maple Ridge