July 2023:- The report is officially titled “Ambleside Local Area Plan (LAP): Engagement Summary, Proposed Framework, and Next Steps”. This should curb the enthusiasm of anyone who expected something near a finished plan – since the phrases ‘Proposed Framework’ and ‘Next Steps’ indicate a work in progress.
Dictionary flash: Readers be warned that a frequent phrase used in the report “targeted interventions” might be interchangeable with “spot-zoning” in previous versions of “Bureau- Speak”.
The report will be presented on Monday 24th at the Council meeting … meanwhile the link to the full report is given below.
Since the report is long and (in the opinion of some folks) full of “Bureau-Speak” that can benefit from simplification, we present our suggestions to getting at the core messages.
The 3 areas addressed by the report are
- Neighbourhood
- Apartments
- Commercial
One elephant in the planning room – Traffic – receives the following comment:
“Overall, traffic in Ambleside is generally considered to be manageable (i.e., volume is below capacity), and there are no major traffic jams or bottlenecks that regularly occur in the area”
Perhaps “volume is below capacity” because significant potential volume decides to keep itself off the roads e.g. Marine and Taylor Way?
And the twin elephant, Transit receives this amazing comment that reflects our “Village”
“The review suggests that there are too many bus stops on Marine Drive, and that some could be removed or skipped by frequent services without compromising service coverage”.
Sure – ask any of our aging population – they want that extra exercise – walking from increasingly distant bus stops … good cardiac workout!
We present brief excerpts from the ‘Staff Recommendations’ sections of each area.
1.1. Neighbourhood
“… staff are recommending the District wait for more detail on anticipated provincial regulations, and then work directly with five single-detached neighbourhood sub-areas “
– page 6 of report.
1.2. Apartments
“Tailored regulatory interventions are recommended to create opportunities for new strata, rental, seniors, or rent-to-own housing through minor expansions on the edges of the existing commercial and apartment areas … ”
“ – page 6 of report.
Does ‘minor expansions’ sound like “Zone-Creep”?
1.3. Commercial
“… an “Ambleside-by-the-Sea” that includes: revitalized retail and office spaces, supported by strata and rental housing options, set within a more vibrant and connected street experience, where limited mid-rise sites punctuate a predominantly low-rise environment”
“ – page 8 of report.
Remember: mid-rise can go as high as 12 storeys … enough to “punctuate” any low-rise environment!
As an important footnote to the report – the underlying assumption of population increase seems to drive the process – to a target of building anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 units in Ambleside. Adding Cypress Village (3,000 units) and development on Squamish lands will make congestion and quality-of-life topics for many future discussions.
These extracts from staff recommendations are presented as an aid to focus on some highlights, and, of course, do not cover all of the recommendations made.
See the draft: https://westvancouver.ca/media/2634