The Editor,
Undeterred by continuing negative feedback from the community on their many past efforts to maximize their profits by re-zoning the waterfront Imperial Landing properties, Onni is having yet another kick at the can.
The community message to Onni in the past has been that there must be a substantial benefit to the community in return for re-zoning.
Onni's idea of a substantial benefit last time around was a $50,000 donation to the Steveston Community Centre in return for the millions they would reap over time from re-zoning the per-mitted ground floor uses in the six buildings from Mixed Maritime to Commercial/ Retail.
Commercial/Retail zoning would also generate a lot of traffic in what is presently a residential neighbourhood with many young children.
Onni pointed to the large underground parking garage under the buildings, but then admitted that they would charge for parking while there is two-hour free parking on the surrounding residential streets.
Onni continues to say that it welcomes feedback on how the re-zoning could "better serve the community's needs."
At one of the previous community meetings organized by Onni, they suggested yet more coffee shops, pharmacies and restaurants, not exactly underserved needs in Steveston.
On the other hand, those attending showed considerable support for a suggestion from the community that Onni provide rent free use of the entire ground floor of one of the two eastern buildings for a new Steveston Library.
Together with two-hour free parking in the underground garage, this would be a major improvement in community services for Steveston's growing population, much of that growth the result of Onni's own Imperial Landing project.
City council should continue to reject Onni's rezoning proposals until Onni includes free community use of one of the buildings and free two-hour parking in the underground garage.
Residents should continue to show up at all of Onni's community feedback events to send the same message.
Eventually Onni will get tired of looking at all that vacant space and do the right thing.
John Roston Richmond
