Anmore South Community Engagement

The task force you are referencing was initiated by icona as part of its OCP Amendment Application, which noted the need for a a more coordinated approach to address transportation concerns as they go beyond Anmore’s borders. The task force is being led by a professional transportation expert, Geoff Cross, former VP of Planning for TransLink. The task force includes representatives from Icona and Gillic Development (property owners of Anmore South and the IOCO lands in Port Moody), Esso (the property owner of the Imperial Oil industrial lands in Port Moody that border Anmore) and several organizations, including the TriCity Chamber of Commerce, TransLink and the Port of Vancouver. Representatives from affected local governments in the area and Metro Vancouver have also participated in some of the meetings.

We have been advised by icona that a perspective paper summarizing the task force's discussions and findings will be released soon and will be shared with the community. It is anticipated that this document will include information on overall land use planning and strategies for the larger area - not just what is being considered in Anmore. This includes factors such as the provincial government's plans to decommission Burrard Thermal and the Port of Vancouver's requirement for additional port-enabling industrial land. 

Thank you for your interest in the Anmore South OCP Amendment Application and Neighbourhood Plan development process. As you noted, the Technical Open House studies being presented are part of Phase 1 of this process, which means the studies reflect baseline information related to the application submitted to the Village. As more information is confirmed, including the preferred land use scenarios that are being developed as part of Phase 2 and the Neighbourhood Plan in Phase 3, there will be more details about what is being proposed. This more detailed information is needed for the assessments you are requesting, such as financial implications. We recognize that our residents are interested in more details such as the projected costs for policing, and this will be part of the Phase 3 studies, which will be shared with the community.

We have responded to your questions about the infill/CD zone previously, and we have noted your preferences as part of this community engagement process. If you would like to discuss your preferences further, we encourage you to participate in the community engagement discussions or submit a written response with what you would like to see in terms of future development of Anmore South. Village staff members involved in this planning process are also available to meet with you by phone or in person if you prefer to share your input that way.

As we have advised previously, Council is considering the OCP amendment application as submitted by icona as the property owner. As the property owner, icona has the right to apply for the type of development it wants to pursue.  The Village is not doing an assessment of infill/CD zones as the property owner has not submitted an application for that type of zoning. We have noted your input that you would like Council to consider an infill/CD zone instead, and this will be added to the consideration of community input. 

We have already shared the information about when Public Hearing fits into this process (between 2nd and 3rd reading of the bylaw), and it will follow standard Public Hearing regulatory requirements. No date is set as a significant amount of work - including additional community engagement - is taking place before 2nd reading is considered by Council. We have noted that you want a Public Hearing and would prefer to see it sooner in the process. 

We have noted that you want more information shared with the community, and we will be continuing to do so through the community engagement process. 

The Technical Open House will include some studies that were completed previously and a couple new studies, such as the Archeological Impact Assessment and Environmental Baseline Assessment. The other studies are largely the same as previously presented. The Technical Open House is being offered to provide community members with the opportunity to review the studies if they have not previously done so, and to come and meet with the subject matter experts in person to ask questions. 

The more detailed Transportation Impact Assessment (TIA) is being completed in the fall as part of the Phase 3 of the Neighbourhood Planning process. This study will be based on the land use scenarios being developed in the coming months, which are being informed by the current community engagement and Phase 1 technical studies. The TIA will determine the impacts and infrastructure requirements of the Neighbourhood Plan at full build-out on the existing road network.  

It is first important to note that icona has not applied for condensed development (CD) zones or infill, which is why Council is not currently considering these options. As the property owner, icona has the right to apply for the type of development it wants to pursue. 

When an application comes in, Council is obliged to consider what is being proposed. Because the current application is for a development with a mix of housing that includes higher density, it requires an amendment to the OCP. Council gave first reading to this amendment which started the process for reviewing the application - not other forms of development. 

We are not yet at the stage where zoning is determined - that comes next if the OCP amendment and Neighbourhood Plan are approved. Icona does have a subdivision application in place under the current zoning. The current assessments being done compare the two land use options that icona has put forward for its land. In general, an RS-1 development will result in more loss of trees and green space than a higher density development. 

If icona proceeds with a subdivision application under the existing RS-1 zoning, the 151 acres on this property would accommodate approximately 85, one-acre lots that would be developed with single-detached homes. This would involve development on approximately 75% of the land area for residential uses. Environmentally sensitive areas (e.g., riparian areas along streams) would be protected, there is the 20% coverage required through the Tree Management Bylaw and 5% of the area must be set aside for green space, but the rest of the area would be developed. 

While the Village enforces the Tree Management Bylaw to preserve 20% of coverage on lots, this does not necessarily mean existing trees must remain – they can be removed and replaced. Preserving existing trees is always a priority; however, when building a new development of this scope (as opposed to just adding one home to a lot in an existing developed area) involves more than adding homes – there are roads, water services and other infrastructure that also have to be built. This means that many of the existing trees often need to be removed and are replaced after development to meet bylaw requirements. 

As well, the 20% of required tree cover for RS-1 can be spread out over all of the development area – not all in one block of trees. 

Under the current OCP Amendment Application, the proposal is for a mix of housing that includes multi-unit complexes like townhomes and apartments. It would result in development of approximately 52% of the land area for streets and residential uses, with the remaining area used for neighbourhood parks, a community centre and natural areas. This would nearly double the area for environmental preservation including existing biodiversity that rely on the intact environment. When larger portions of the area are left intact, it preserves the tree cover and associated wildlife and biodiversity in the area. 

As outlined in the OCP Amendment Application, a new proposed Community Centre positioned adjacent the mixed-use district at the east side of Anmore South is targeted at ~25,000 sq. ft on a 1-acre parcel. Inclusive and accessible, the Community Centre design would meet the needs of all members of the community, including youth, seniors and persons with disabilities. Within a 5-minute walk of Anmore Elementary, the proposed Community Centre would feature safe accessible pathways, seating areas, and public washrooms, all set within an integrated parks and trail network. The specific Community Centre program will be explored through the Neighbourhood Planning process and will be finalized as part of zoning.

Like all property owners, the Applicant (icona) has the ability to develop or to sell their lands in accordance with the zoning and associated legal development agreement. Master-planned neighbourhoods often involve a master developer that manages the project through build-out, including the sale of individual serviced parcels to take advantage of specialized expertise, match the pace of absorption, and reduce financial risk.

Should the Anmore South Neighbourhood Plan be adopted, it will become part of the Village’s Official Community Plan, and will it guide any future development. Any increase to the permitted units in the Neighbourhood Plan will require a new OCP Amendment Bylaw process along with community consultation.

Thank you for your input. Residents are welcome to provide whatever input they like as part of the current community engagement. The Public Hearing takes place between 2nd and 3rd reading of the bylaw, which comes after the Neighbourhood Plan and any policy updates to the OCP are complete. For more information on the process, please see the graphic “Key Process and Decision Points” under the Planning Process tab.

Thank you for sharing your input on the Anmore South OCP Application and Neighbourhood Plan. We will include your input as part of the feedback to consider as we plan next steps in the process. Regarding the current process, please see some of the other responses here around Council's obligations and decision to consider the application.