summary

The Parkview Slopes area of Cates Hill is currently zoned for 23 to 24 single-family residential lots (average approximately 1 acre each). Since all past planning efforts regarding future land uses in the Snug Cove area have concluded that the most appropriate and logical location for the creation of urgently needed non-market housing and local employment is within the periphery of Snug Cove, we want to find out whether the current zoning of Parkview Slopes within the Snug Cove area is still the preferred public choice over a diversified live/work community with alternative, affordable housing.

Our proposal is to transfer the density for the residential market housing from Parkview Slopes to Seymour Landing at Cowan Point. Seymour Landing could easily receive the density because the infrastructure in that area is vastly over-built relative to the number of properties served (i.e. roads, water storage and distribution system, water treatment plant, sewer collection/treatment/disposal system, single- and three-phase hydro systems, etc). For more details, see Rationale.

The density transfer would leave the land on Parkview Slopes (approximately 20 acres) at a nominal value, removing one of the biggest obstacles for affordable rental housing and affordable live/work spaces. Costs to develop the infrastructure (internal roads/driveways, water, sewer, hydro/tel/cable, etc) could be covered by developing part of the area as micro-homes on lease lots. The number and composition of units will be part of the discussion with the Municipality and the public about our proposal. For more information about this, see Details.

We submitted our application to Bowen Island Municipality on May 28, 2009. On this website you can read some history related to this application.

What's New

On December 20, 2009 we made a submission to the Official Community Plan ("OCP") Steering Committee in response to their invitation to the development community to contribute to the OCP update. In that submission we described some of the challenges for Bowen to be more sustainable (social, environmental, and economic well being), some items that should be addressed by an updated OCP to achieve greater sustainability (diversity, affordability, community life/spirit, local economy), and how some of the planning mistakes of the past can be changed.

On July 9, 2010 we published an ad entitled "The Value of Real Estate on Bowen Island: Thoughts and Observations" noting that real estate values rise where people want to live. Vancouver is still considered a real estate bargain compared with other desirable places in the world to live. That simple fact will become the force that will ultimately shape real estate values on Bowen Island. The challenge remains to plan for housing forms for citizens with modest means. We are working on some models in an effort to break through the current barrier of non affordability. On April 30, 2010 we published an ad entitled "Living on an Island" in which we discussed some of the benefits and challenges specific to island living -- especially on Bowen Island which is so close to the City of Vancouver and its scenic neighbourhoods. On April 16, 2010 we published an ad entitled "A Call for Civic Pride", suggesting that civic pride would dictate that the first impression of Snug Cove, the gateway to Bowen Island, should reflect the soul and spirit of Bowen Island and its citizens. Unfortunately the Cove has lost much of its earlier charm -- something should to be done about that.

In 2009 and 2010 we published articles about Bowen's future, the current review of the Official Community Plan, land economics and affordability, the meaning of community, creating a sustainable community, local economy, the idea of density transfer and its relationship to sustainability - those articles can be found on the Media section of this website.