District of West Vancouver council is considering a request by waterfront property owners to build private docks on the public foreshore north of Horseshoe Bay. Residents on Pasco Road, a steep, narrow, mostly-privately-owned single lane with 21 homes and a public park, say the addition of docks would make their properties safer in the event of an emergency that restricts road access. Pasco Road itself is unlikely to be improved, as it crosses property owned by CN Rail and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, municipal staff say.
Residents have been raising concerns about the vulnerability the road creates and expressing the desire for water access for a long time, Coun. Sharon Thompson said. “It’s just a very sensible request, and after seven years, I’m pleased to see it come forward for public consultation and input,” Thompson said at the Oct.
21 meeting. Thompson said the response to the proposal from Pasco Road residents has been “tremendous,” with every household emailing to express their concerns about the road and support of pursuing the bylaw changes. But another councillor says residents are seeking foreshore access for other purposes.
“I think this is singularly being done to increase their property value, and I think we need to protect our foreshore as we’ve been talking about for years,” Coun. Christine Cassidy said. Amir Miri, a West Vancouver real estate agent, said adding docks could “easily” add value to the properties – r.
