Southlands In The ALR

There has been some discussion of the meaning of the word charrette as it applies to Southlands development.

One very specific definition: it is part of the services you purchase when you hire Andres Duany.

As promoted in advertising materials, “the DPZ charrette has become well known throughout the industry as an extremely effective means of transforming vision into reality.”

It is touted as being especially effective for controversial projects

In addition to its commercial application, the upcoming charrette also symbolizes a new phase of the Southlands rollout, the Season of the Expert.

To get a flavor of the kind of ideas that are to be advanced, at a recent Southlands meeting architect Rick Hulbert warned that Tsawwassen, absent the type of housing he is paid to promote, is in danger of becoming a “ghetto of the filthy rich.”

Strong words.

In the coming months, expect opponents of the development to be portrayed as small-minded, backwards-looking elitists who are against seniors, young families and middle income earners.

By the time all’s said and done it will proven beyond a doubt that putting housing on prime farmland is the most environmentally sensitive form of agricultural preservation that the world has ever seen or ever will.

To counter the expected flood, it may be useful to cite some experts not in the pay of the Century Group.

First there is the Agricultural Land Commission.

Writing in 1980, after extensive review of the property, it was the unanimous decision of the commission that “the 523 acres are good capability agricultural land that is suitable for agricultural production” and that the land should be kept inside the Agricultural Land Reserve.

We also have the former president of the B.C. Institute of Agrologists Wendy Holm who, in her 1989 pesentation to council, testified to the “strong productive cabability and agricultural viabilty of the land.” She went on to describe the many studies done confirming the quality of the land and urged council to “retain this prime land within the agricultural base of the province.”

Then there are Professors of Agriculture Art Bomke and Jan de Vries who in 1992 told council that “in terms of soil and microclimate, and corresponding agricultural production potential, most of the land in the subject area is at least as good or better than agricultural land in West Delta in general.”

Experts aside, farming is the only use that the Southlands has ever been put to.

In addition to having one of the largest dairy herds in B.C., the old owners grew strawberries, early potatoes, cucumbers, sugar beets and many other cash crops, at times breaking Canada-wide records for production.

The time is coming where we will have to make a choice.

In Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey and all over the Lower Mainland, farms are being gobbled up at a steady pace.

With the erosion of farm land in Delta, with the loss of land to rail-line expansion and the perimiter road, it would seem to be common sense to preserve the quality land that remains.

In the past, those advocating preservation of the Southlands have been called selfish, interested only in maintaining their lifestyle.

But would it not also be selfish to allow hundreds of acres of housing and commercial buildings to be put on prime farmland in exchange for some bike trails and bistros?

Dave Staniforth

Click here to sign an online petition requesting inclusion of the Southlands in the ALR.