It's getting no easier to reach the sublime state of nirvana these days on No. 5 Road as City of Richmond planners have poked several holes through yet another proposal to vastly expand the Lingyen Mountain Temple.
The re-drafted proposal by James K.M. Cheng Architects is heading to a city planning committee meeting today (Wednesday) where staff will recommend to councillors it
be rejected, once again, due to various factors such as zoning restrictions, traffic and neighbourhood character, not to mention a divided community with determined opponents.
Temple executives want to build a 200,000 square foot facility next to its existing temple. The eight new buildings would contentiously expand into agricultural land to the east, known as the No. 5 Road backlands. In its latest of several proposals (which began 10 years ago), the main temple hall would
be 99 feet tall, roughly one-third the height of its initial proposal but still 2.5 times higher than the present zoning allows. The facility would also effectively double the number of residents to 100 and temporary guests to up to 200.
By building on agricultural land, temple executives are proposing to re-designate land the temple owns south of the proposed buildings from "community institutional" to "agricultural."
In the latest proposal, a once-planned agreement with Kwantlen Polytechnic University's sustainable agriculture and food systems program has fallen by the wayside.
Despite the even swap of land, planners continue to find several issues with the current proposal.
"The proposed height, scale, massing, dormitory use and the number of permanent residents proposed raises significant concerns for staff," according to a report submitted by Wayne Craig, the city's director of development.
Also, an expansion of dormitories would require even more site-specific zoning and the "scale and magnitude of the proposed expansion would result in a building character not anticipated in this area," the report stated, while also noting that by building in the "backlands" the expansion would disturb a green zone that runs along Highway 99.
At every turn, the temple expansion has met neighbourhood resistance.
"We hope city council agrees with staff and denies the application," said local resident and temple expansion opponent Carol Day, who has organized the group Committee Against Lingyen Mega Retreat (CALMR).
As indicated by the acronym, one of Day's biggest concerns is how traffic and parking for the expanded temple will affect the Shellmont neighbourhood. It's an issue echoed by the staff report and one that has taken on greater importance over the years as the Fantasy Gardens lands have been developed just south of the proposal and the Mylora golf course lands are potentially slated for development directly north of the existing temple.
Day said the temple executives' unwillingness to lower the proposed building's s height as well as their continued desire to build on agricultural land indicates how the proponents are out of touch with the neighbourhood.
According to the staff report, sentiments in the Shellmont area are split. CALMR submitted 267 signatures from Shellmont residents who are opposed to the temple expansion. Meanwhile, temple organizers submitted a petition with 255 signatures in favour of the proposal from within the same area.
According to a statement from Lingyen members, only the new main hall would be taller than the existing temple, and that would be built in the back of the property. Meanwhile, traffic management would only be required during major events. Members noted that expansion would provide for the growing spiritual, cultural and community needs of Richmond residents as a whole.
Day said Lingyen executives should look toward the nearby International Buddhist Society on Steveston Highway as a model for integrating with the neighbourhood while simultaneously abiding by existing bylaws.
"They have a phenomenal place of worship and they've done it following the rules. Lingyen needs to understand they're in Canada and it's important to abide by the laws of the land," said Day.
Even if city councillors reject the proposal, Day expects the fight to continue.
"I fully believe the Lingyen temple will be back in 12 months with [another] proposal. We're gearing up for what comes next because they don't seem to have a desire to abide by the same rules," Day said.
