It was once the most controversial proposal west of the Capilano River, but a small-scale redevelopment in Horseshoe Bay passed West Vancouver council’s approval Monday (March 7).
In 2019, council first delayed making a decision and then later rejected QUMA Properties’ proposal for Tantalus Gardens – six small single-family homes and four duplexes on four residential lots as well as the site of the shuttered St. Monica’s Church at Nelson and Rosebery avenues.
At issue for residents at the time were parking and traffic, the price of the new homes, and the loss of public assembly zoning at the church.
Since that time, the district has finalized a local area plan for Horseshoe Bay, and the developer shrank down the project to include 10 small two-storey single-family homes.
The scaled-down project proved far more innocuous at a public hearing held this week, with only five members of the public calling in. Of those five, only two asked council to reject the redevelopment for a second time. Parking, the price of the homes, and the loss of public assembly zoning were again the issues, but council moved the project forward unanimously.
Coun. Craig Cameron acknowledged the “long and tortured history” the project has gone through before casting his vote in favour.
“It's not going to solve all our housing needs, but we are not going to make any dent in making this community more affordable if we keep building large single family homes on larger lots,” he said. “We've had, unfortunately, a difficult time getting any sort of missing middle housing approved in this community in this term, and so I’m pleased to see this is one project hopefully going forward.”
Coun. Marcus Wong described Tantalus Gardens as the “continual evolution of the neighbourhood.”
“I don't know that ‘cute’ is the right word, but they certainly tuck in very nicely, and I think will provide a type of housing that is much needed in the community,” he said. “It's a small step.”
