12571 Bridgeport Rd, 604.273.2227 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
What’s inside:
NEWS: Two StevestonLondon students match fashion and homeless 3
n Richmond’s Charlotte Diamond entertained fans of all ages Saturday at Lansdowne Centre during her 22nd annual Holiday Delight Family Concert. More photos in The Pulse on page 12. Photo by Gord Goble/Special to the News
Has city council got the guts? Pushback made council nix past motion to curb home size on farms GRAEMEWOOD Staff Reporter
GWOOD@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM
C
oun. Harold Steves says it will take “guts” on the part of Richmond city council to implement restrictions on the size of homes being built on protected agricultural land in Richmond — despite the fact many other neighbouring municipalities have done so. Steves said he planned on raising the matter Tuesday evening at a planning committee meeting, following a Globe and Mail investigation that suggests as much as 60 per cent of farm properties in the Lower Mainland are being purchased by non-farmers, such as real estate speculators and foreign investors. An analysis of 122 property sales since
August, 2015, shows $449 million changed hands, but the taxable value of the land was only $52 million (farmland is valued and taxed at a much lower rate than residential). The tax breaks have correlated with increasingly large mansions, roughly 20,000plus square-foot in size, being built on properties in east Richmond. In order to curb the size of homes — viewed by many as an assault on farmland — council will need to amend its building bylaws. In July, city council wrote to Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick asking him to restrict home sizes on farmland. Letnick responded in October that this is the responsibility of municipalities. The City of Port Coquitlam passed a bylaw in July restricting mega mansions on farmland. Now, homes may only be as big
as 5,300 square-feet. Delta and Surrey also have similar restrictions that nevertheless allow for large homes for multi-generational farming families to live in. Steves said an attempt was made to restrict home sizes about three years ago, but opposition from the South Asian farming community, and one accusation of racism, resulted in the motion being dismissed in a 7-2 vote. Meanwhile, taxation reforms would need to come from the provincial government. As a result of the mega mansions, Metro Vancouver regional government has called on the province to reform its farm property tax policy. Peter Fassbender, B.C.’s Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, which oversees the Community Charter and property taxes, told the Globe it is reviewing the recommendations. See Warning page 5
Holiday Features
WILD PACIFIC HALIBUT
24.95
$
Wild halibut filet pan seared then baked, topped with a creamy Dijon caper sauce served with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables.
604.276.8282 • 8140 LESLIE ROAD
Full rack of tender pork ribs brushed with our zesty BBQ sauce. Served with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
OpeF for LIFch MoFday-SaJIrday
SPORTS: Trojans continue football playoff march at 38 B.C. Place
BELLY DANCING: eHery Friday aFd SaJIrday All December
GRILLED RACK OF LAMB CHOPS & LOBSTER
BBQ RIBS
22.95
$
ARTS: Author has a whale of a children's Christmas tale to tell 33
29.95
$
Two tender grilled rack of lamb chops seasoned with fine herbs, lobster tail, drawn butter, roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables and Felicos special lamb mint sauce.
DiFFer EHeryday from 4:30pm
HURRY
RESERvE YOuR
CHRISTMAS PARTIES TODAY. LEt uS MAkE YOuR EvEnt WARM AnD MERRY!
www.felicos.com • FIll MeFI OF-LiFe
BELLY DANCING EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ALL DECEMBER