District of West Vancouver council is moving ahead with a plan to sell a beloved beach access path in Altamont – although the new owner is promising the municipality a public right of way down to Burrard Inlet.
In one of the most scrutinized decisions of the term, council voted 5-2 Monday on a motion that will close the district-owned road access at 3000 Park Ln. and see the land sold to the buyer of the neighbouring district-owned property.
The proposal has been controversial for council since their earlier vote on the matter in July, with numerous neighbours and beachgoers demanding the sale be stopped.
Under the latest proposal, the buyer of the property will grant the municipality a statutory right of way running down the east side of the lot. They’ve also agreed to pay for the new trail’s construction from Park Lane to the point where the topography turns sharply down toward the water. The municipal staff report warns though that “given the potential unknown geotechnical conditions on the foreshore, the installation could be complex and expensive.”
The staff report submitted to council doesn’t specify how much more the property will be worth with the existing beach access path included, but the single lot was last assessed at $6.64 million.
The Community Charter, which governs municipalities, states that money raised from the sale of the property must go toward the purchases of another piece of land that gives the public equal or better access to the same body of water. In this case, council has informally earmarked the revenues to the eventual purchase or expropriation of the last privately owned home on Argyle Avenue, which will eventually be converted to green space.
Council’s vote followed a string of pleas from residents, all but one of whom urged council not to sell the property with the beach access path included.
“It’s appalling to see the precedent that’s going to be set by this sale of public land to private,” Cassandra Sawtell said. “One day, other people will sit in the chairs you sit in now and maybe they’re going to continue selling off what I hope my children can one day enjoy.”
Former West Vancouver Mayor Mike Smith said if it must be sold, council should follow a more above-board process and put the property back on the open market.
“If that happened, we meet the public goal of producing revenue from the site, we allow our residents and the neighbours in the area to continue to use the access, and I think we restore public trust in the way we handle land sales in the District of West Vancouver,” he said.
Others spoke from opposition rooted in principle, including Michael Phillip Booth.
“The path you have chosen to go down is proving to be the biggest mistake you’ve made so far. Morally and ethically, that path is not yours to sell. It belongs to the people, and the people say no,” he said.
Christopher Molineux, the first resident to publicly push back against council’s original plan, said, however, he was satisfied by the change and added that the new beach access will be better designed in line with the community’s wishes.
“In short, the public were heard. We won,” he said.
Council members acknowledged the controversy the issue had generated but the majority agreed with Molineaux.
“I think that over the last three months, this council has heard the community, and we have tried to come up with the compromise that is going to be the best for the community moving forward,” said Coun. Scott Snider.
When it came time for a vote, only Couns. Nora Gambioli and Christine Cassidy were opposed to the bylaw.
“That has a well-trodden pathway to get down to this beach access. This is not something that is infrequently used. This is neighbourhood. And when I was elected, I ran on neighbourhood character,” Cassidy said. “I fervently believe we do not have the right to take away public access to their beach front. You’re asking this public to accept it with no guarantees of cost and the like as to this new site.”
Mayor Mark Sager, however, expressed confidence that the municipality and the land’s owner would be able to deliver the new route down to the water.
“I think this is a win for the community. Beach access is preserved,” he said. “I’m completely convinced if we can build stairs successfully 170 metres to the east, we will be able to build stairs in this location.”
Cassidy pushed back on the mayor, insisting he provide a guarantee.
In response, Sager said he will bring a motion at the Nov. 18 meeting “that will ensure that the stairs are built and are completed, and this access is done within two years by this council.”
