By Angela MacKenzie - Staff Reporter
Port Moody council voted unanimously Tuesday to give the city's parks and recreation commission the chance to comment only on the "form and character" of a new Boathouse restaurant that will be built at Rocky Point Park.
Coun. Shannon Watkins put forward the motion on form and character after Mayor Joe Trasolini refused to allow her original motion.
Watkins wanted council to vote on allowing the commission to look at the restaurant's impact on the park, including sightlines and location.
Watkins said she was not asking for anything in regards to land use or zoning.
"What the commission hasn't looked at and what has changed significantly is the sightlines and the location and the impact it has on the park on the whole as a recreation facility," she said, triggering applause from the audience.
"We are several steps beyond that, and I cannot as mayor undo what was done by previous council," Trasolini said.
Trasolini said his job is to look after the best interests of the city and he would not allow past decisions to be undone and open the city up to liability issues.
Coun. Meghan Lahti questioned why council could not receive more information from the commission.
While responding to Lahti, Trasolini was interrupted by a man in the audience.
"Would the audience please shut up," Trasolini said. "This is bad enough trying to get council all the information; interference from the audience really is not warranted at this time."
Trasolini later apologized, but asked the audience to understand the pressure council is under.
"Every word that we are saying is scrutinized," he said.
Trasolini said he had "no problem" with allowing a motion on form and character. He said the danger lies in motions that refer to the use of the park.
Tim Savoie, the city planner, said form and character includes landscaping, building materials and roofing materials.
Coun. Karen Rockwell asked Watkins what new information would come from asking the commission to look at form and character.
"I ask, then, of what benefit is that going to be to look at, is it going to be cedar or stone? And is the tree going to be three feet from the building or five feet from the building? And is the walkway going to be four feet wide or three feet wide?" Rockwell said.
Watkins said she believes that, given the size and magnitude of the development, input from the community and the committee is important.
Several Port Moody boaters upset by city plans to change parking at the Rocky Point Park boat launch returned to council to voice their concerns. Dozens had packed the council chambers at the last meeting.
"This is huge, this is absolutely huge," said Wendy Swalwell, a Port Moody resident who represents several boating associations. "It's devastating to people everywhere. They're extremely upset."
Swalwell said only three people showed up to the public hearing on the park development. She criticized the information provided to the public by the city and said she would not accept the city manager's explanation that the restaurant location was "tweaked" to accommodate public facilities.
"You have no idea how upset they are," Swalwell continued. "We have been petitioning them in the park. Hundreds of people readily signed it against a restaurant - period."
Swalwell questioned why the city did not hold a referendum on the restaurant development.
"Why can't the people choose whether we have a restaurant here or not?" she asked.
She asked current council members to indicate whether they would support the plans for the restaurant, which were approved by a previous council.
Mayor Joe Trasolini responded by saying again that he would not put council or the city in a vulnerable legal position.
"The only thing I can tell you, there is a referendum every three years," he added. "Every one of us has to come in front of you every three years to be accountable for what we have done and what we speak about doing.
"This idea of the restaurant, in fact, has been spoken about even before I was mayor. So, the only thing I can tell you is this: The process is there. I cannot answer for the fact that at the public hearing, there were only three or four people present, nor can I answer for you being here today and perhaps not being there at the time of the public hearing."
Swalwell said hundreds and hundreds of people have already vowed never to eat at the restaurant.
A Port Moody woman, who said she does not read the newspaper, said she did not know about the development until recently and criticized the city for not better informing residents about the development.
Trasolini said the city and council have done everything possible.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but I don't have time to give personalized service to 30,000 people," he said.
Former councillor Ann Hulbert said that although parking is a primary concern for boaters, many other park users are upset over the restaurant's potential impact on the view.
Hulbert suggested the city chalk out the size of the restaurant, including patio space, and fly balloons to indicate the restaurant building's height, before an open house and public information meeting on the restaurant development application scheduled for Thursday night, after The NOW's deadline.
published on 06/30/2006