Mission council denied an “unusual” reconsideration request at Monday’s (April 7) meeting.
A development application that proposed a 56-unit apartment building on 2nd Avenue was previously denied by council in October 2024 and again upon reconsideration in November.
The request before council on Monday asked for a resolution to allow Western Canadian Properties Group to reapply for a rezoning and development permit ahead of the city's one-year applicationtime restrictions. The reconsideration wasn’t requested by the mayor or council.
“This is not a consideration of the previously denied application, but rather a question whether council would grant the applicant the ability to reapply ahead of the city's time restriction,” development services director Dan Sommer told council.
According to a presentation, the request came due to significant costs incurred by the applicant, an impact to marketing and sale of the property because of previous denials, and the site's underutilization.
The reconsideration needed two-thirds of councillors to vote in favour but didn’t receive the five votes required Coun. Jag Gill, Coun. Ken Herar and Coun. Angel Elias voted against the reconsideration.
Sommer said if the applicants were allowed to reapply, they planned to focus on the rezoning first and leave the details on designs or any possible variances for a later application.
“If the site does not proceed with rezoning, they argue that the site will likely sit until sold to ultimately develop under the existing zoning regulations … which allow for a mix of low-density residential uses, not capitalizing on the OCP designation,” Sommer said.
Coun. Mark Davies previously voted against the development but voted in favour of allowing the applicant to reapply early.
“It … simply just didn't feel the right project for the site. That being said, I think it's fair to allow the owner of this property to continue to find ways to either remove themselves from the site or find other uses for it,” he said.
Coun. Ken Herar read excerpts from a letter written by Western Canadian Properties Group in December.
The excerpts expressed disappointment and frustration with council for the denial of the project.
“This decision exemplifies inefficiency, inconsistency, incompetence, and a lack of accountability within the City of Mission’s elected council. It undermines not only our confidence but also the city's credibility within the development community as a partner for growth in progress," Herar read.
The letter went on to say: “This lack of predictability and professionalism sends a clear message to developers: investing in Mission is a high risk endeavor. With this denial, the council has undermined the trust of those working to bring needed housing to this community. Instead of providing 56 middle-income homes, this site now sits vacant with three derelict houses. In the midst of housing crisis, this council has chosen stagnation over solutions.”
Herar said the letter was inflammatory.
“I'm gonna stick with the denial,” he said.
“I think that's a really great example of letters that you should never send,” Coun. Mark Davies said. “If you think sending a letter like that is going to help you in any way, it's probably not, and we're about to see that play out here tonight. That being said, rezoning was definitely in Mission’s best interest. It would behoove us to think in a business sense, not personal."
Mayor Paul Horn said the direct language reflects that the applicants are at a point where they can’t sell the property.
“I think these folks just want to be done with us, but they also need to be able to have an indication. And anybody who would buy it would have an indication that the property actually has resale value,” he said.
He went on to say: "The buildings themselves are in terrible disrepair and ... we're going to start hearing about these properties, and if they can't be sold, then realistically, we're going to have people in those neighbourhoods living with these eyesores for quite some time. And that's the lay of the land. That's where we really are. Impractically, practically, like it or don't like it – I think we are in a bit of an unusual circumstance. And I concur with Councillor Elias. This is unusual, but I think we're in an unusual circumstance because of that."
A 56 unit apartment building was originally proposed for the site. City staff said the buildings currently on the properties are roughly 75 years old and not in the best condition.
The project was intended to feature smaller, well-appointed units that would be more affordable to missing-middle buyers, an earlier letter from the applicant said. It was introduced at a meeting in July and council had comments and questions that touched on design alterations, parking and financial incentives.
The property was purchased while the city was offering the Downtown Development Incentive Program (DDIP) intended to stimulate investment in the downtown core.
