DELTA — MK Delta Lands Group is asking the Corporation of Delta to put its controversial housing application on hold while the company looks at developing other parcels of land.
In a letter dated Jan. 12, president Joanne Barnett requests the municipality hold the application for a major North Delta housing development in abeyance and agree to consider receiving an application to allow industrial development on another nearby parcel.
"Because of our significant involvement with Mayor (Lois) Jackson's Save Our Industrial Lands (SOIL) initiative, along with our review of other recent reports, we have become very much aware of the importance of industrial development to both Delta and the province," Barnett stated.
She goes on to state that the company is working on an application, which is expected within the next month, for Official Community Plan and zoning amendments to allow industrial development on a parcel located south of Highway 17 and the Highway 91 connector, adjacent to the Sunbury Landing Industrial Area.
MK Delta Lands is also looking at turning over an adjacent lot to Delta, which would act as an environmental buffer between the Burns Bog Ecological Conservancy Area and the subject property.
The company has been working on its major housing and commercial plan near Burns Bog in North Delta for several years.
Located on the east side of Highway 91 between 64th and 72nd avenues, the most recent proposal features 450 townhomes and up to 650 condos. The commercial area would have a maximum of 130,000 square feet of retail, including a grocery store.
However, the proposal has faced opposition in the community and was scaled back twice from an original version.
The Burns Bog Conservation Society continues to lobby against development at the site, having gathered almost 1,800 signatures through an online petition. The society says there are many concerns, including the loss of habitat for rare and endangered animals and that the development will negatively impact the conservation area.
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