North Vancouver condo project scrapped by developer

After years of public hearings and consultations, a major developer is scrapping plans for a big development in North Vancouver that would have brought affordable housing and daycare to the community.

Last night a divided North Vancouver City council voted to block the project to build two mixed-use towers on Lonsdale Avenue, choosing instead to send it back to another public hearing.

But Onni's vice president of development Beau Jarvis says instead of going through another round of hearings and public consultations they have cancelled the project instead.

Jarvis says they do have community support for the project, but they have been terribly disappointed in the process, and the proposal is now off the table.

"It's been two years. We have engaged the public more than I have ever engaged the public on any one project that I have been involved with in my career.

"Moreover, we have made more changes and response to community concerns than I have ever facilitated in my career and that is over a two-year period."

Councillor concerned

Coun. Craig Keating is concerned that the failure of the project will erase years of goodwill with the development community.

"It is pretty clear now that we have a majority on council that are profoundly anti-development and I think they are putting at risk a lot of the future of North Vancouver."

"If we can't get 340 units of office and residential space at the centre of our downtown, I think that means it's a chill."  

Mayor Darrell Mussato also said his council is sending the wrong message to developers.

But other councillors said the project was too dense for the area and one councillor reportedly accused Onni of hijacking the first public hearing by stacking a speakers list in its favour.