While a developer dreams of a riverside grocery store, a gym and a pharmacy, two local residents envision putting the kibosh to the company's aspirations.
The Onni Group is still deep in consultation with the public and the local business community about the possibility of rezoning the underconstruction waterfront Imperial Landing site in Steveston.
The developer is considering applying to rezone the site of six low-rise buildings - currently zoned for a mix of marine-use commercial properties and residential - to allow the likes of grocery stores, pharmacies and gyms under the residences.
Onni has faced stiff re-zoning opposition in the past and two local friends, Colleen Burke and Gudrun Heckerott, say they're getting geared up to make sure the developer faces a similar level of resistance by striking a petition.
"I've lived here for 15 years and I remember the zoning issues in 2000 for this site. It was quite clear the downstairs for this site was to be for marine uses," said Burke, who lives in one of the adjacent townhouses on Bayview Street.
"Now, after Onni starts building, they want to change it to a pharmacy, grocery store and fitness centre? A café is also mentioned, what's to stop McDonald's from moving in here?
"Everybody lives here to get a break from the commercialism in Richmond and everybody that visits here on Sundays and holidays does so for the same reason."
Should the rezoning come forward to city council and be approved, Burke said the developer "would be taking away something that's really precious.
"It's a walk that anyone in Richmond can enjoy. But it will become a commercial zone if Onni gets permission for this and there will be noise and pollution from the commercial use. Onni is telling us it will be a 'service' to the community. No it won't, it will be a nuisance."
Fellow resident Heckerott, who lives half a block away from the site, in an Onni-built home no less, accused the developer of playing games.
"It's sneaky. They've gone to city council a couple times now to rezone for this or that. Last time they wanted high-rises, but marine use of that site was what we signed up for," she said.
"If I wanted to live next to a mall, I would have moved to Ironwood or the city centre.
"We bought these homes from Onni in good faith eight years ago. The sales pitch then was 'residential with marine-related businesses in the area.' We are being misled if we allow this to happen."
Onni contends the rezoning of the commercial space will allow a broader range of commercial retail uses that will "better serve the community's needs."
The company's vice president of development, Beau Jarvis, told the News on Wednesday that Onni is far from making a decision either way on the rezoning.
"Right now, we're still receiving feedback from the public and the business community," said Jarvis. "And we just sat down with one of the community associations last week."
Jarvis added that there's been a mix in feedback thus far, both from the 180 individual public submissions and from their face-to-face meetings with community organizations and businesses.
"I wouldn't want to speak too soon. There is a favourable trend, some neutral and some against," he said.
Jarvis didn't want to speculate as to when Onni will make a decision on whether to submit a rezoning application for the site.
One of the aspects of the potential rezoning is whether or not the local community needs or wants the services being suggested by Onni.
Burke has little doubt. "The services Onni say will be provided... we already have them all over the neighbourhood already. We have no need for more of these 'services,'" she said.
She plans to get a petition up and running as soon as possible and Heckerott said she will dip into her online petition experience to assist Burke.
Construction of the project is expected to be completed later in 2012.
