'It does not make sense at all': Steveston residents furious over proposed storage facility

Residents fighting Steveston development Some Steveston residents are outraged over a plan to build on prime real estate just steps from the water.

Richmond, B.C. — A proposed two-storey storage facility in Richmond's Steveston neighbourhood is sparking outrage among nearby residents.

The project is designated for the end of No. 2 Road at Dyke Road, a stone's throw away from the Fraser River.

The site has been owned by Jim Pattison Developments since 2013 and has sat vacant, fenced off with overgrown bushes and old trucks and busses located on the lot.

“It’s been a bit of an eyesore," said Stu Walters, a resident who lives in the neighbourhood.

"We don’t want it to continue to be an eyesore, and I think that’s what it would be with a massive storage facility at the end of Steveston. (It) just doesn’t seem right.”

The development proposal is being described by the company as a facility that "supports the evolving needs of both the commercial and residential community as they continue to grow."

The lot is zoned for "light industrial use," meaning a storage building is well within the city's Official Community Plan.

In an emailed statement to CTV News, Jim Pattison Developments claims it originally wanted to build homes on the lot, but was shut down by the city.

“We had enquired previously with the City of Richmond as to whether residential development would be supported on the property, to which they consistently responded that they wanted to maintain the industrial land use on this site," the statement reads.

Scott Douglas, a Steveston resident and retired architect, also voiced his support for more housing and mixed-use developments.

"Pattison Developments is a quality, multi-faceted real estate development group that I understand would welcome this important opportunity to enhance our London Landing Village with an appropriate mixed-use development, which includes much-needed housing to accommodate Richmond’s desire for growth," said Douglas in a letter sent to Richmond City Council.

The area has long been known as a commercial fishing hub, but residents argue the surge in nearby housing and commercial development has shifted the community's needs.

“I’m not against storage units. They’re necessary, but I just think a prime piece of property should be cleaned up and made use of in different ways, that’s my feeling,” said Laureen McMahon, a nearby resident who's working with her building's strata council to campaign against the proposal.

"Perhaps lower-cost housing would help the situation of housing in the area."

"It does not make sense at all," said Marius Rovde, a nearby resident who has written letters about the project and says a petition is in the works.

"Everyone's talking about how ridiculous it is."

City Coun. Carol Day says she's yet to hear a significant amount of opposition for the project directed at council, but is open to ideas and suggestions.

“Ultimately, staff have to go by the Official Community Plan but council have the ability to make changes," said Day. "So, if the developer and the residents would like to see something more than what’s being proposed, then let’s bring those ideas forward.”

The project is now before the Development Permit Panel (DPP). If approved, council will have the final say on whether the project will move forward as is, or proceed with changes, which could include a residential development.

No timeline has been announced on when the DPP will review the application, but a source with the city told CTV News it's expected to be complete before the end of the year.