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Onni update: Steveston waterfront library gaining traction

Rent-free provisions for a public library at Imperial Landing may be negotiated by the city if Onni is granted its rezoning application.
Imperial Landing lease sign
Philip Raphael/Richmond News The commercial/retail component of the Imperial Landing development remains empty as the city considers Onni Group's rezoning request.

Political will to install a library on the Steveston waterfront appeared to gain considerable traction at city hall on Tuesday.

The move came after Richmond city councillors slammed a city staff report and a proposal by developer Onni Group to yet again rezone properties at Imperial Landing on Steveston's boardwalk.

"I'm simply appalled by this report," said Coun. Harold Steves.

(Read the report here)

But while councillors voiced their displeasure over the proposal by Onni, and the subsequent new report issued by city staff, it appears more likely that some retail shops will eventually be allowed on the site, which is presently zoned for maritime uses only.

Just don't expect to see it happen this summer.

The committee, comprised of four councillors and Mayor Malcolm Brodie, sent Onni's proposal back to city planners and staff so they can negotiate for more community amenities and/or concessions from the developers, who have already offered $1.5 million in cash in exchange for swapping the zoning regulations.

Coun. Evelina Halsey-Brandt put it plainly when she noted the cash offered by Onni wasn't enough.

"Does the developer have a palette for more community amenities?" asked Halsey-Brandt.

Onni bought the land when it was zoned for maritime-related uses.

In 2012, it went ahead in building 60,000 square feet of retail and office space and is now seeking rezoning permission to allow the likes of TD Canada Trust and Nesters grocery store to occupy the boardwalk.

Exactly how much retail space council will allow on the waterfront is still up for debate and several factors are at play, including how to make a new library financially viable and whether or not a civic marina could be built in the near future.

A museum is still in the cards as well.

Coun. Bill McNulty told an Onni representative at the meeting that having a library is a "deal breaker."

But according to the staff report, the library board had not come up with a source of funding to move its operation from Steveston Community Centre to Imperial Landing.

'We can find the money," said McNulty, who questioned why staff would nix the idea before consulting with council, who are responsible for delivering funds to libraries.

After Onni took the possibility of a fitness centre off the list of potential tenants, the idea of replacing the existing library with an expanded fitness area and moving all the books to the boardwalk was well received across the table at the meeting.

Halsey-Brandt noted a similar agreement could be made between the developer and the city, as was done at Ironwood, where that library is only charged for one-third of its floor space, which totals 12,000 square feet.

At the meeting, staff told the committee Onni was not willing to negotiate similar terms to Ironwood.

Steves balked at the notion the developer couldn't present more than the cash offered.

"The buildings can stay vacant until hell freezes over unless we get some concessions," he said, directing staff to renegotiate terms with Onni.

Richmond Public Library's head librarian Greg Buss said the Steveston branch is just 4,000 square feet and in an ideal world it requires 25,000. But he also said an Ironwood-sized waterfront facility would be "a very positive move to make."

One idea floated by the Steveston Merchants Association was to create a 25/25/50 per cent ratio of maritime use, retail and office space, respectively.

It was panned by Onni at a consultation meeting last November as the developers believed there was more demand for retail.

Halsey-Brandt said whether a civic marina could be installed on the water in front of the boardwalk could factor in to how she decides what can be zoned there, or at least how much of what can be zoned there. But she also was cautious of council micromanaging the situation.

Halsey-Brandt asked staff to provide a timeline for any possibility a marina could be installed on the waterfront. Steves said the issue had already been looked at years ago and staff simply failed to factor it into the report.

The confusion led to councillors asking a representative from the parks department to join the meeting and explain the situation.

Another issue raised by Steves was how the staff report depended heavily on third party consultants in the retail and real estate sectors to gauge public opinion on the rezoning proposal.

"I expected staff to do this work, not Colliers International. …It's just more from the developer," said Steves.

Halsey-Brandt noted the report provided few changes from what was asked by council when Onni submitted the initial proposal in November.

As for a museum, staff noted it had only studied previous opinions about the likelihood of housing a museum at Imperial Landing. But at the meeting Loren Slye, chair of the Steveston Historical Society, said a museum would be a good idea.

With staff being directed to negotiate greater concessions, which could include a mix of cash and rent-free space, it could take another month for the rezoning application to get to city council chambers.