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Hamilton Spectator
7 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Contentious Anmore South proposal withdrawn by developer on eve of public hearing
The contentious Anmore South proposal is officially on ice. Just hours before a public hearing to Anmore's Official Community Plan (OCP), Icona Properties announced it was withdrawing the application. 'It's become clear that our proposal, though supported by many, has also caused division. This was never our intent. In fact, it's the opposite of what we set out to do,' said Icona's CEO Greg Moore. 'We've made the decision to withdraw our current application for Anmore South. This break will allow us to explore a path forward that brings more unity than discord. 'Our sincere hope is that this step will help ease tensions and create the space for a collaborative, community-driven solution.' The Village of Anmore's council chambers erupted in cheers and claps after a resident read Moore's message to a crowd of hundreds of residents. The application was recently advanced to a public hearing by a 4-1 vote earlier this month. But despite a scaled back development proposal – 1,750 residential units, down from 2,200 – council's debate was marked by a divided and frustrated public gallery. Residents have long expressed concerns that the 151-acre development is out of step with Anmore's rural character and that the public consultation process has been insufficient. Several neighbourhood groups have recently pushed for a referendum on the development, which has been resisted by council. One such group, the Anmore Neighbours Community Association (ANCA), even formally warned the village on May 15 that it intended to pursue legal action if the OCP amendment process for Anmore South continued unchanged. ANCA's lawyers accused the village of procedural fairness breaches, councillor bias, democratic suppression, and infringing on freedom of expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Neighbouring municipalities have also weighed in. Port Moody submitted a formal letter criticizing the lack of infrastructure planning – particularly with respect to traffic, utilities, and emergency services –and raised alarms about environmental risks, especially given the sensitive ecosystems near the site. The Village of Belcarra offered a similar critique. Dialogue around the Anmore South proposal has been fraught with division since engagement first began in 2021. Accusations of NIMBYism, disinformation, and corruption have been frequent and recurring. Council received 63 written submissions regarding the OCP amendment, which would have changed the land use designation to allow for the development. While most of the correspondence was opposed to the land use change, many residents offered support, citing more affordable options and options for downsizing seniors. One Anmore renter, Juan Gaviria, said he was deeply concerned by the 'toxic environment' surrounding the development process. He said that he supported the amendment because it offered tangible benefits like improved infrastructure, expanded recreational amenities, new facilities, and diversified housing types. 'It is a sad state of affairs when fear and aggression overshadow reasoned, respectful discourse,' Gaviria said. 'Despite holding a full-time professional job and running a business, I cannot afford to purchase a home in Anmore.' Jordan Birch, speaking for his family of six, said he was 'disgusted' by Anmore's NIMBYism and neighbourhood associations, which he described as 'seeding doubt and division' in the community. He noted that over 42 percent of the land is dedicated to parks and conservation, that the project would expand the municipal tax base, and connect Anmore to Metro Vancouver's servicing. 'The Anmore South Neighbourhood Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a resilient community,' Birch said. 'I am appalled by those who disguise their opposition as community care, ignoring the long-term consequences of blocking progress.' After receiving word that Icona had rescinded its application, Mayor John McEwen released a statement on the village website, stating the village chose not to proceed with the hearing. 'Needless to say, this came as a surprise, and we are still confirming details of icona's intentions,' McEwen said. 'I do not know what will be considered next for Anmore South, as it is up to the applicant.' McEwen added that council legally had to consider the application, and acted in 'good faith,' and pushed for neighbourhood plan and community engagement beyond what was required. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
03-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Port Moody raises red flags over Anmore South development plan; developer objects to letter's tone
Following a review by staff, the City of Port Moody has raised significant concerns about Icona Properties' proposed Anmore South development. In a formal letter written in response to the Village of Anmore's request for feedback, the city raised red flags over the development's impact on its infrastructure, roads, environment, emergency services, and climate goals. 'Port Moody (has) significant concerns with impacts from the proposed official community plan (OCP) amendment for Anmore South lands,' stated the letter signed by Mayor Meghan Lahti. Although the letter was addressed to Anmore's Mayor John McEwen, Greg Moore – Icona's CEO and former Port Coquitlam mayor – attended Port Moody's May 27 council meeting to provide a response. Moore objected to the 'tone' of the city's letter, stating that while it's fair to have concerns, council should be respectful and collaborative about overcoming specific challenges. 'If we don't, and we just put up all of these barriers, then none of us would grow,' he said. 'The tone of the letter really does come across as 'Port Moody knows better than Anmore, and you should just follow our guidance.'' The Anmore South project aims to build 2,200 new residential units on the village's southwest border with Port Moody, tripling Anmore's population. Anmore council has advanced the amendment past the first two readings, and the application is on the verge of heading to a public hearing. Port Moody's response, written by staff across multiple departments, was endorsed without comment on Tuesday. It details a raft of objections, warning that the plan is inconsistent with regional growth strategies and that critical infrastructure and environmental impacts have not been properly addressed. It is not the first of Anmore's municipal neighbours to raise questions about the development. Following a review by a consultant, Belcarra's council endorsed a similar letter on April 1, raising concerns around access, transportation, emergency services, pressure on parks and environment, and schools and civic amenities. Traffic One of the more pressing concerns was the potential traffic overload on Ioco Road. Port Moody stated that without upgrades – many of which were 'unfeasible' due to physical constraints – Ioco Road and its surrounding intersections could only handle about 40 percent of the new traffic added by the development. Staff also questioned 'optimistic' assumptions in the development's traffic impact assessment (TIA), stating it is heavily reliant on unconfirmed transit improvements and TransLink does not plan to expand frequent bus service into Anmore. The TIA also underestimated the impact of future possible developments on the Burrard Thermal and Imperial Oil industrial sites, according to staff. 'Without a realistic and coordinated transportation strategy, the Ioco development risks overwhelming the existing network in the area impacting safety and livability along Ioco Road,' the letter stated. Moore countered that upgrades to the road network are needed over a 25 year build-out period, and stated Port Moody's OCP does not contemplate the future of its roads decades in the future. He said when he was mayor of Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam amended its OCP change to permit Burke Mountain development, Coast Meridian Road was only two lanes with dirt shoulders. 'We all make decisions that affect our neighboring communities,' Moore said. 'We should all try to work together collectively to overcome those challenges as one, not as 'I know best,' or 'You should do this because I said so.' Some of the development's proposed solutions were rejected by the city as unsafe and inconsistent with existing traffic calming plans. Staff recommended some alternatives, such as diverting traffic to East and Sunnyside Roads; expanding the major road network to include Heritage Mountain Boulevard and David Avenue; implementing transportation demand management strategies such as shuttle buses from day one; and improving non-car based access to SkyTrain stations. Infrastructure Anmore plans to connect the new neighbourhood to regional water and sewer systems via Port Moody's infrastructure. Staff's report, however, states there have been 'no discussions' about alignment, constraints, or access, despite the fact that key areas like Ioco Road are already undergoing upgrades and have limited space for new utility corridors. The city flatly rejected any proposal to route utilities through Bert Flinn Park, which is protected parkland that would require a referendum to alter. Staff also said the proposed drainage system fails to meet city or regional standards. The report was critical of the use of minimum setbacks based on Coquitlam's zoning, and that the plan only controls water flows up to a 1-in-5-year storm event as opposed to the 1-in-100-year standard expected to mitigate flood risk. Local geological conditions, such as shallow soils and steep slopes, could further increase runoff and erosion downstream in areas like Schoolhouse Creek, according to the report. The city also emphasized no provisions have been made to study the broader impacts of new Metro Vancouver connections on the existing East Road water line or on Port Moody's own system, which is undergoing analysis to accommodate B.C.'s new housing density laws. It warned that Anmore would need to fund additional modelling if it expects to place increased demand on Port Moody's water infrastructure. Another concern was that Anmore South residents would be heavily reliant on Port Moody's parks and recreation facilities without providing funding for expansion or maintenance. Environment Anmore South also poses risks to sensitive ecosystems, including Mossom Creek and Bert Flinn Park, according to staff. The report criticized the lack of an arborist report, tree plan, or analysis of former contamination risks on the property. Staff also warned the proposed buffers between Anmore South and Port Moody lands were inadequate, increasing the risk of invasive species, downed trees, and forest degradation. Furthermore, the report urged Anmore to audit its fire service needs and plan for mutual-aid support, particularly as growth moves into wildland-urban interface zones. It stressed the importance of ensuring fire infrastructure scales appropriately with population growth, enforcing FireSmart practices, and maintaining defensible space. Lastly, staff raised the issue of the car-dependent nature of the development, which they said is at odds with Port Moody's OCP and climate action plan. With no rapid transit and limited services, Anmore South will likely hurt both cities' ability to hit their emissions targets. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
10-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Tensions flare at Anmore council meeting over Anmore South referendum demand
Competing delegations clashed at a contentious Anmore council meeting on Tuesday night over a call for a referendum to decide the future of the largest development in the village's history. On one side, representatives from the Anmore Neighbours Community Association (ARCA) and the Anmore Residents Association (ARA) accused Anmore South's public engagement process as being flawed, biased, and 'developer dominated.' However, Icona Properties' CEO Greg Moore argued the engagement has been extensive, community-led, and supported by a majority of residents. The level of support among Anmore residents has been a frequent point of debate as the project has advanced through council. 'Our council and city officials are conducting this process by putting the cart before the horse. They have forgotten to ask the primary questions: do we want it or not?' said Neil Lyons, an ARA director. 'Only a referendum can fix this tainted process.' The development on Anmore's southwest border, dubbed Anmore South, is a 151-acre plan to develop 2,200 units in a variety of forms such as single-family houses, duplexes, townhomes, and low-rise apartments up to six storeys. The plan also features commercial spaces, parks, a community centre, and an extensive trail network, and a connection to Metro Vancouver's wastewater system If approved, the project could nearly triple Anmore's current population over the next two decades. Icona submitted an application to amend the village's official community plan (OCP) in 2023, and council has since moved it past first reading, approved the neighbourhood plan's terms of reference, and endorsed a village-led community engagement plan . Anmore has received technical studies from Icona, and recently presented the findings to the public at an open house in April 2025. But despite a significant amount of public engagement to date, local groups claim the engagement plan and technical studies are designed to lend support to the development without an actual mandate from the community. Rod Rempel, a representative of the recently formed ARCA, called into question the credibility of the technical studies, calling them 'misleading.' ARCA has gone as far as commissioning its own technical experts to poke holes in the work. 'Technical studies were clearly done with a goal to provide positive feedback regarding the Icona's plan,' Rempel said. 'Issues of paramount importance like an evacuation plan, traffic, population growth, housing types, economic viability, ecology and our village lifestyle were oversimplified and overlooked.' Moore said when Icona first made submissions to council in 2021, the project was a key topic of discussion during the 2022 municipal election. He noted Mayor John McEwen clearly stated he did not want single-family homes developed on the property, while his challenger, Mario Piamonte, said he would only support one-acre lots. McEwen won with 67.8 percent of the votes. 'That seems like a pretty clear direction from this community,' Moore said. 'This isn't anything new – when a NIMBY group gets together and starts to tackle an issue.' Moore, who was once the mayor of Port Coquitlam, said it was 'disingenuous' for some residents to claim there has not been an opportunity to engage, noting there have been 28 different public engagements to date. He said there are people who don't want growth, and would rather see Icona's property remain a forest, but they are outnumbered by those who want closer commercial space, amenities, and a diversity of housing. 'It's just mind boggling,' Moore said. 'I cannot think of one process when I was a city planner or at Metro Vancouver that went through and engaged the community that many times.' A recent survey emailed to every household in Anmore as part of the village's communication plan should give council the 'conclusive' direction it needs, Moore added. Regarding criticism of the technical studies, Moore said it's up to the council to determine which party is more credible. During question period at the close of the meeting, council was hounded by residents who refused to refrain from speaking about the Anmore South application. Anmore recently updated its procedure bylaw , prohibiting residents from asking questions about items that could be subject to a public hearing due to legal concerns associated with Bill 44. Mayor McEwen ended up adjourning the meeting early due to the barrage of out-of-order questions. A previous meeting on April 15 ended in the same fashion.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ferrari Might Build Its First New Manual Transmission in Over a Decade
Ferrari could be about to make a lot of enthusiasts very happy. The Italian marque is considering bringing back the gated manual transmission following a decade-plus absence, according to Carsales. There's a catch, though. The coveted mechanical feature would only be available on special models. More from Robb Report Bill Gates's Former Waterfront Mansion in Florida Can Be Yours for $23.5 Million Inside a Stunning, Fire-Resistant Family Retreat on a Sunny Hilltop in NorCal's Wine Country Bermuda: Preserving the Past, Inspiring the Future In an interview with the magazine, Ferrari's chief product development officer, Gianmaria Fulgenzi, revealed that the company is 'reaching the limit of performance' with its road cars. That's not because the company can't wring more power out of its engines, but because its customers wouldn't be able to handle it—unless they were to put in the kind of training required of professional race car drivers. 'I don't think all our customers want to have to train every morning just to drive our cars,' he told the magazine. Ferrari hasn't sold a car with a third pedal since the California was discontinued back in 2012. The stick shift was sacrificed in the name of performance, so, at a time when the company has pushed things just about as they can go in that area, it makes sense that it's thinking about bringing the gearbox back. Fulgenzi said this would involve 'limiting performance' to manage the heavy clutch. If Ferrari does bring back the manual, don't expect it to be available line-wide. Fulgenzi made clear that the option would not be available on the company's standard production models. Instead, it would only be available on its more exclusive releases, like the Icona series. 'Probably an Icona car, because it's a car that represents our heritage, a car to be admired and to be driven in a certain way,' he said. Fulgazi also revealed that the marque hasn't reached this softened stance on its own. Unsurprisingly, the executive says that 'customers are already asking' for the company to bring back the manual. It's not hard to imagine a gated manual making the next Icona model even more desirable. Not that the seven-figure cars need much help on that front. At the very least, this all sounds like good news for Ferrari Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, who, earlier this season, expressed interest in helping the marque build an F40 tribute—with a manual. Best of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ferrari Could Bring Back the Stick Shift
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." There are few details more iconic in the automotive world than the classic Ferrari gated shifter. Unfortunately, it's been more than a dozen years since that's been an option on a new car out of Maranello — but according to a recent report by Australian magazine Car Sales, Ferrari is considering bringing it back. Gianmaria Fulgenzi, the chief product development officer at Ferrari, admitted that the performance of the company's road cars has reached a point where the cars have become so quick, they're on the limits of what a human body can handle — at least, a human who isn't trained to handle the forces like Charles Leclerc or Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. 'For a normal driver you have to physically support yourself for this kind of acceleration and in terms of muscles and bones in your neck, it's not easy for long [periods of] time,' Fulgenzi said. Ferrari sold over 13,000 cars last year, and it's safe to say the vast majority of them did not go to Formula One drivers or fighter pilots. 'I don't think all our customers want to have to train every morning just to drive our cars,' Fulgenzi added. So, if peak performance has been achieved, what's left? A revival of the manual transmission, potentially,.. Ferrari went away from the manual transmission as they chased ultimate performance. But now that the ultimate level of performance has been reached, the manual transmission is back in play as a way to add engagement, rather than brute force, to the experience. "In terms of mechanical gearchanges, it's something that could be in the future," he said. That said, don't expect to see a gated stick in the successor to the 296 GTB or Roma. Fulgenzi said the classic manual would make most sense in the brand's limited-run Icona cars, which represent Ferrari's heritage through a modern lens. Previous cars in the Icona series include the Monza SP1 and SP2 and the Daytona SP3, all of which were highly exclusive (even by Ferrari standards) and carried pricetags to match. There is no timeline for when a new Icona model with a manual transmission may be released or what that car would be called. However, just last month Lewis Hamilton said he wanted to build a follow up to the F40 called the "F44", and he said wants it to be equipped with a stick shift. Could that be the next Ferrari we see with a gated shifter? The idea seems more realistic (and exciting) than ever. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car Sign in to access your portfolio
