Tall wall proposed next to West Van Seawalk prompts council discussion

It’s not the ice wall in Game of Thrones, nor The Wall on the Mexico/US border.

But a proposed wall on the West Vancouver waterfront attracted its share of commentary at West Vancouver council this week.

If built, the retaining wall on a private property that abuts the West Vancouver Centennial Seawalk in Dundarave would rise over 13 feet, nine feet taller than is currently allowed.

Owners of the property at 2368 Bellevue Ave., next to the Seastrand strata building, plan to demolish the older home currently on the property and build an architecturally designed modern home, complete with a swimming pool and hot tub.

Owners have proposed building a wall adjacent to the Centennial Seawalk to protect their property from the impacts of storms and sea level rise.

But district staff have raised concerns that the taller-than-usual wall will create a solid visual barrier next to the public Seawalk and create a precedent for others who want to build similar walls.

“This is going to be, if approved, a significant wall immediately adjacent to the Seawalk,” said planner Michelle McGuire. “Whether or not that’s a bad thing is kind of a subjective decision.”

Staff recommended rejecting the request for a variance that would allow construction of the wall, and suggested instead asking property owners to build a retaining wall that is stepped back further from the property line or tiered to provide a landscaped buffer between the public and private spaces.

Property owner Janice O’Sullivan told council that would mean regularly exposing 18 feet – or 25 per cent – of her property to potential flooding and damage.

Currently a pool and hot tub are on the plans immediately behind the tall wall.

O’Sullivan said in her experience of living in the existing home for three years, most people walking along the Seawalk are looking at the ocean or deep in conversation and don’t even notice her property or the trees currently growing near to the Seawalk – which she added are taller than the proposed wall.

O’Sullivan added she has had a large sign with information posted facing the Seawalk for the past seven weeks and hasn’t seen any concerns expressed.

On Monday, most council members indicated they didn’t have problem with the wall.

Coun. Christine Cassidy said it should be simple to soften the look of the wall with plants and vines.

“Right now, you’re looking at an old wall and an old house,” she said. “It seems to me if you’re going to build a home on the seawall, and you then had a high tide and logs coming your way, if you didn’t have a wall, most people would have thought you were an idiot for building there. So actually, they’re using common sense and looking to the future.”

Coun. Linda Watt said most people walking along the Seawalk aren’t looking at the properties beside it.

Coun. Nora Gambioli said she still had some concerns about the height of the wall.

“It’s not because of sea level rise that you have to build a 14-foot wall,” she said.

The property owners are also requesting a variance to build a 10.85-foot wall – about seven feet higher than allowed – on the western edge of their property.

Council will now consider the request for the development application – and the variance for the wall – at a meeting July 22.