Is this the right application of an HRA?
There is a public hearing on Monday night, February 26, for the designation of a tree under the HRA. Please attend this meeting and have your say – or email your opinion to Council at clerks@newwestcity.ca
“Heritage Revitalization Agreement (HRA) and Heritage Designation Bylaw
applications have been received for 203 Pembina Street in Queensborough. Six new family-friendly, stratified townhouse units are proposed to be constructed fronting Pembina Street. The existing
specimen-sized northern red oak tree would be retained, legally protected through a Heritage Designation Bylaw, and listed on the City’s Heritage
Register. Relaxations to the Zoning Bylaw are required to permit the townhouse form, density and height. Minor siting, parking, and access relaxations are also proposed.” excerpt from City of New Westminster Notice of Public Hearing
About the Pembina Street HRA Application:
Consider these concerns and email your opinion to Council at clerks@newwestcity.ca
- This application is not a proper use of a Heritage Revitalization Agreement. HRAs are typically used to encourage people to preserve their house by using funds from the forgiveness of regular zoning to preserve an old house.
- The City of New Westminster has a Tree Bylaw so an HRA in this instance is not required.
- Using an HRA in this way is unfair to property owners who have invested significantly in preserving their properties when they could have opted to preserve some vegetation and keep the money from the sale of their allowed partition of property instead.
- Even the City’s website specifies that an HRA is intended to preserve buildings rather than vegetation.
- It’s crucial to recognize that the current application for 203 Pembina Street in Queensborough pertains to rezoning rather than establishing an HRA.
- Community Engagement – given the implications and concerns raised, it would be prudent to table this application and engage in further dialogue with the community before making a decision on how best to preserve the red oak tree in question.
