Editor:
I have a comment regarding the article about the heritage revival project on Seventh Avenue in New Westminster.
City hall is very double-dealing with individuals that have deep pockets, and they are disloyal to their original land-use plan that our taxes paid for when it comes to allowing densification in the city.
In the above-mentioned article, the city allows a Duplex to be built on the about 6,000-square-foot lot, in addition to the existing home, to preserve it as a heritage building while creating more needed housing.
OK, I can support that, but not when at the same time properties in Sapperton can't even have a duplex be built on the current lots of between 5,000 to 5,900 square feet because they are under the 6,000-square-foot minimum lot size required.
I have spoken to city hall about this issue several times since the new land-use plan was published five years ago and I was told the city hasn't had time to address the issue of changing the minimum lot size required to build a duplex in the ground-level-oriented infill housing areas.
If city hall can find the time to discuss one single property heritage revival permit, they should very well be able to make a change to the current bylaw that prevents many properties from being able to add much-needed housing in the city.
Maybe even add regulations that add architectural requirements to preserve the historic feel of the neighbourhood when building new duplexes. Making a change to the current lot size requirements would give property owners a chance to make changes that allow adding needed housing on their own, rather than wait for a big developer to buy up the neighbourhood for their townhouse or rowhouse complexes, which then would be counterproductive if we are trying to keep the older character of historic Sapperton.
Gisela Schulte, New Westminster
