The controversy continues with the proposed University District around Trinity Western University. The University District itself is basically an expansion of the TWU campus, but it is also bundled with the controversial Wall Financial single-family housing development.
Earlier this month, Township of Langley Mayor Jack Froese sent a letter (page 93 of latest council agenda) to Mayor Corrigan of Burnaby (who is also the chair of the Regional Planning and Agriculture Committee at Metro Vancouver) expressing his views on the University District and Metro's involvement.
In the letter, Mayor Froese talked about the letter the Township received in August from Metro that I posted about earlier on the blog. Froese pointed out that Township council will work with Metro Vancouver in a consultation process that may result in either amending, delaying, or not proceeding with the bylaw that would see the creation of the University District. While reading the letter, I saw some subtle jabs at Corrigan's Metro committee for not being directly elected and for “rubber stamping” Metro Vancouver staff reports.
Mayor Froese than goes on to state that the Township in under no legal obligation to change the current University District bylaw as the Township believes that the bylaw and plan is consistent with the old regional growth strategy which the Township believe is still applicable.
Reading over the letter it seems to me that Township Council is upset at Metro Vancouver for inferring with what it considers local issues, but isn’t ready to challenge Metro in court yet over regional planning. It will be interesting to see how this proceeds and I’ll continue to monitor this saga.
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