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Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Port Moody raises red flags over Anmore South development plan; developer objects to letter's tone
Following a review by staff, the City of Port Moody has raised significant concerns about Icona Properties' proposed Anmore South development. In a formal letter written in response to the Village of Anmore's request for feedback, the city raised red flags over the development's impact on its infrastructure, roads, environment, emergency services, and climate goals. 'Port Moody (has) significant concerns with impacts from the proposed official community plan (OCP) amendment for Anmore South lands,' stated the letter signed by Mayor Meghan Lahti. Although the letter was addressed to Anmore's Mayor John McEwen, Greg Moore – Icona's CEO and former Port Coquitlam mayor – attended Port Moody's May 27 council meeting to provide a response. Moore objected to the 'tone' of the city's letter, stating that while it's fair to have concerns, council should be respectful and collaborative about overcoming specific challenges. 'If we don't, and we just put up all of these barriers, then none of us would grow,' he said. 'The tone of the letter really does come across as 'Port Moody knows better than Anmore, and you should just follow our guidance.'' The Anmore South project aims to build 2,200 new residential units on the village's southwest border with Port Moody, tripling Anmore's population. Anmore council has advanced the amendment past the first two readings, and the application is on the verge of heading to a public hearing. Port Moody's response, written by staff across multiple departments, was endorsed without comment on Tuesday. It details a raft of objections, warning that the plan is inconsistent with regional growth strategies and that critical infrastructure and environmental impacts have not been properly addressed. It is not the first of Anmore's municipal neighbours to raise questions about the development. Following a review by a consultant, Belcarra's council endorsed a similar letter on April 1, raising concerns around access, transportation, emergency services, pressure on parks and environment, and schools and civic amenities. Traffic One of the more pressing concerns was the potential traffic overload on Ioco Road. Port Moody stated that without upgrades – many of which were 'unfeasible' due to physical constraints – Ioco Road and its surrounding intersections could only handle about 40 percent of the new traffic added by the development. Staff also questioned 'optimistic' assumptions in the development's traffic impact assessment (TIA), stating it is heavily reliant on unconfirmed transit improvements and TransLink does not plan to expand frequent bus service into Anmore. The TIA also underestimated the impact of future possible developments on the Burrard Thermal and Imperial Oil industrial sites, according to staff. 'Without a realistic and coordinated transportation strategy, the Ioco development risks overwhelming the existing network in the area impacting safety and livability along Ioco Road,' the letter stated. Moore countered that upgrades to the road network are needed over a 25 year build-out period, and stated Port Moody's OCP does not contemplate the future of its roads decades in the future. He said when he was mayor of Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam amended its OCP change to permit Burke Mountain development, Coast Meridian Road was only two lanes with dirt shoulders. 'We all make decisions that affect our neighboring communities,' Moore said. 'We should all try to work together collectively to overcome those challenges as one, not as 'I know best,' or 'You should do this because I said so.' Some of the development's proposed solutions were rejected by the city as unsafe and inconsistent with existing traffic calming plans. Staff recommended some alternatives, such as diverting traffic to East and Sunnyside Roads; expanding the major road network to include Heritage Mountain Boulevard and David Avenue; implementing transportation demand management strategies such as shuttle buses from day one; and improving non-car based access to SkyTrain stations. Infrastructure Anmore plans to connect the new neighbourhood to regional water and sewer systems via Port Moody's infrastructure. Staff's report, however, states there have been 'no discussions' about alignment, constraints, or access, despite the fact that key areas like Ioco Road are already undergoing upgrades and have limited space for new utility corridors. The city flatly rejected any proposal to route utilities through Bert Flinn Park, which is protected parkland that would require a referendum to alter. Staff also said the proposed drainage system fails to meet city or regional standards. The report was critical of the use of minimum setbacks based on Coquitlam's zoning, and that the plan only controls water flows up to a 1-in-5-year storm event as opposed to the 1-in-100-year standard expected to mitigate flood risk. Local geological conditions, such as shallow soils and steep slopes, could further increase runoff and erosion downstream in areas like Schoolhouse Creek, according to the report. The city also emphasized no provisions have been made to study the broader impacts of new Metro Vancouver connections on the existing East Road water line or on Port Moody's own system, which is undergoing analysis to accommodate B.C.'s new housing density laws. It warned that Anmore would need to fund additional modelling if it expects to place increased demand on Port Moody's water infrastructure. Another concern was that Anmore South residents would be heavily reliant on Port Moody's parks and recreation facilities without providing funding for expansion or maintenance. Environment Anmore South also poses risks to sensitive ecosystems, including Mossom Creek and Bert Flinn Park, according to staff. The report criticized the lack of an arborist report, tree plan, or analysis of former contamination risks on the property. Staff also warned the proposed buffers between Anmore South and Port Moody lands were inadequate, increasing the risk of invasive species, downed trees, and forest degradation. Furthermore, the report urged Anmore to audit its fire service needs and plan for mutual-aid support, particularly as growth moves into wildland-urban interface zones. It stressed the importance of ensuring fire infrastructure scales appropriately with population growth, enforcing FireSmart practices, and maintaining defensible space. Lastly, staff raised the issue of the car-dependent nature of the development, which they said is at odds with Port Moody's OCP and climate action plan. With no rapid transit and limited services, Anmore South will likely hurt both cities' ability to hit their emissions targets. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
01-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Port Moody cooking up mandatory food-recovery rules for new grocery stores
Port Moody is serving up a fresh strategy to combat food waste. On April 22, council unanimously voted for staff to develop a policy that would require all new grocery stores to partner with food-recovery charities in an effort to tackle food waste, support food security, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mayor Meghan Lahti, who introduced the motion, said the best way to ensure participation of future grocery stores is to require it from the outset. 'This is something that I believe that we need to get behind,' she said. 'I'm happy to hear that there are other participating grocery stores in the city, but I know that it took a lot of work and a lot of time and effort to get them on board.' The practice of grocery-food recovery involves rescuing surplus edible food that would otherwise be discarded, and redirecting it to charities and non-profits. The proposed policy would require partnerships be formed between grocery stores and organizations looking to redistribute food – such as Coquitlam's Food Link Society – during the planning stages of new developments. The benefits of such a policy are wide-ranging, according to the motion. Besides providing meals for residents struggling with food access, the policy aims to reduce methane emissions from landfilled organics and cut disposal costs for businesses. Nicole Blades, a coordinator with Food Link Society in Port Moody, said the organization's local distribution centre collects approximately 1,000 kilograms of recoverable food every Sunday from four local grocery stores, which is then distributed to 100 households. In total, the organization collects from 28 grocery stores, feeds 107,000 people, and reduces 4.5 million pounds of CO2 emissions annually, according to Blades. She said if government can create policies that regulate corporate waste, groups like Food Link Society can save valuable staff resources and focus on delivery, distribution, and public education. 'It's a lot of food, and it's also a lot of administrative work,' Blades said. 'The policy will help balance the division of labour.' Port Moody currently has three major developments in the pipeline that include grocery stores – Wesgroup's Coronation Park site, Edgar Development's Portwood community, and the PCI Development's transit-oriented tower project. The motion is drafted to align with council's strategic plan by promoting healthy community development and advancing climate change mitigation. Coun. Samantha Agtarap said she supports any way council can change habits to better utilize food resources, and suggested council should encourage all food-based businesses to enact similar practices. She referenced data from Global Food Waste Statistics showing that just 25 percent of the food wasted globally each year could feed 870 million people, while also pointing toward 2018 Statistics Canada data indicating 1.2 million Canadian children live in food-insecure households. 'I still don't think people understand the sheer volume of food that's wasted,' Agtarap said. Coun. Amy Lubik praised Food Link Society's work in the community, and was also supportive from both a climate and equity perspective. She said council should be helping foster connections to non-profits and reducing their administrative costs. 'Feeding over 100,000 of our neighbors per year is incredible, especially in such a time when people are having trouble making ends meet,' Lubik said. 'This just makes sense.' Following council's decision, Lubik introduced a motion for staff to report back on options to incentivize low-cost cooperative and ethnic grocery stores in development proposals. While council cannot mandate these types of grocery stores in new developments, Lubik said they can encourage them through policy directives or the sustainability checklist.
Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Port Moody releases draft of Parkland Strategy; council defers approval until after May town hall event
As Port Moody braces for a population boom, city officials have released a draft of the long-awaited Parkland Strategy, spotlighting both the strain on current green spaces and the ambitious steps needed to meet future demand. Staff presented the strategy to council on April 22, but council decided to defer approval of the document until after public input is received from next month's town hall on parkland expansion. The strategy lays out a comprehensive roadmap to expand, enhance, and connect the city's park system by 2050, and is built on three years of public engagements and analysis. 'Identifying the neighborhoods and taking this approach is so easy . . . for us to identify and see where the gaps are,' said Mayor Meghan Lahti. 'So that we can actually make a concerted effort to increase the park space in the areas where it's needed.' A significant parkland deficit is predicted if the city does nothing. Port Moody's population, estimated at 38,942 in 2024, is projected to surge to between 67,900 and 75,800 by 2050. Unless significant investments are made, this rapid growth – driven by densification in Moody Centre, Coronation Park, and other neighbourhoods – will stress a park system with very limited room to expand, and rising land prices. Port Moody currently has a total of 365 hectares of parkland across 47-city owned parks: 79 hectares are actively managed parkland, while 286 hectares is natural parkland (including authorized trails). That amounts to 3.2 hectares per 1,000 residents today – well above the national average. However, without adding any new parkland, that figure would drop to 1.5 hectares per 1,000 residents by 2050, and 1.1 hectares per 1,000 residents for actively managed parks. Moody Centre, a neighbourhood facing the highest level of densification, would have its parkland per capita ratio dwindle by nearly 80 percent. The Glenayre, Harbour Heights, College Park and Seaview neighbourhoods would collectively see their parkland ratio halved. 'While we have rich natural resources in the city, they do not offset the projected increase in demand for actively managed parkland as the city's population grows,' said Erin Embley, Port Moody's director of environment and parks. 'The focus of the parkland strategy is therefore on addressing these growing parks and recreation needs.' image supplied Targets and costs The strategy sets an aspirational target of 2.5 hectares per 1,000 residents by 2050, 8 percent of each neighbourhood covered by actively managed parks and trails, and 85 percent of neighbourhoods within a five-minute walk of park access. To do this, the city plans to acquire at least 22 hectares of new actively managed parkland. Currently, a single hectare of land in Port Moody is estimated to cost up to $27.5 million, according to 2024 BC Assessment data. Development Cost Charges (DCCs) – fees collected from developers to help cover the infrastructure needs – are the primary mechanism for funding the strategy. However, the strategy acknowledges a critical limitation: the growing demand for green space may exceed the revenue that DCCs can realistically generate, especially given escalating land values and the rapid pace of development. To address this shortfall, the report points toward the city's recently revised Land Management Strategy , which includes early acquisitions of key parcels, land swaps, and leasing options to reduce direct financial burden. 'This is why our land management strategy is so important,' said Coun. Kyla Knowles. Port Moody would also preserve city-owned lands with park potential, and deepen partnerships with the Coquitlam School District through joint-use agreements, which allow for shared recreational access. The city will use policy and planning tools to secure new parkland or park-like amenities through the development process. This includes negotiating for publicly accessible private spaces in new development projects, leveraging community amenity contributions during rezoning applications, and applying zoning regulations that require park dedications. Finally, the strategy emphasizes the importance of embedding these goals into the city's long-term capital planning. Future parks will be identified during budget deliberations, and sufficient resources would be allocated for acquisitions, maintenance and renewal of amenities over time. Neighbourhood assessments Staff will be also conducting individual analyses on each neighbourhood, taking into account geography, development patterns, community priorities to assess acquisition targets, and where challenges exist. These detailed assessments will identify specific service gaps and propose tailored solutions, as there are disparities between neighbourhoods. Embley elaborated on this approach by reviewing several priority neighbourhoods. She said Moody Centre has an acquisition target of 12.5 hectares, which could take the form of one or two neighbourhood parks, expansion of existing parks and new pocket parks. Strategies for the neighbourhood include advancing OCP policies to foster more parkland dedication (particularly in the Ocean Front District), and maximizing waterfront access, and pedestrian friendly streets to improve connectivity. Coun. Callan Morrison said parkland expansions for Moody Centre will be a challenge, as new provincial housing legislation mandating density has increased property prices in the neighbourhood. 'It does not make it easy for us to acquire land in those areas at an affordable price point,' he said. On the other hand, Inlet Centre, which is home to the incoming Coronation Park development, only has an acquisition target of one hectare, as the area is challenged by limited land availability. While the neighbourhood has a relatively small amount of dedicated parkland, it benefits from access to a network of greenways and trails, and many outdoor public spaces, according to Embley. Expansions could include a combination of neighborhood parks and pocket parks, new amenities in these new parks, provision of publicly owned private spaces in future redevelopments, enhanced outdoor areas at the civic complex, and more urban canopy cover and green infrastructure. For Glenayre, College Park, Harbour Heights and Seaview, an acquisition target of four hectares is being recommended. While the neighbourhoods have a number of neighborhood parks, including the larger West Hill and East Hill parks, there are gaps in distributions, Embley said. The area is challenged by high projected population growth and limited opportunities for expansion with larger developments. Potential neighbourhood parks, pocket parks, and park expansions are being considered where feasible. Access, additional amenities, improving forest canopy are all listed as future priorities. Coun. Samantha Agtarap highlighted the strategy is a living document, and is therefore subject to change. 'We're actively looking at the metrics and adjusting as we go,' she said. These things are long-term strategies. It's not going to happen overnight. The developments are not going to happen overnight, and economic conditions change.'
