Letterbox: The big picture on my voting record

In this letter-to-the-editor, Port Moody Coun. and mayoral hopeful Steve Milani takes issue with a recent Dispatch article and defends his voting record.

Dear editor,

I would like to provide some context on the recently published Beyond the Drama article as I believe readers cannot understand the big picture the way the article is written.

I did vote in opposition to the Marcon Will project at first reading but that is because I wanted more from the developer. I felt that improvements to the project could be made by way of exchanging some of the density for increased green space in order to accommodate a more substantial area for the adults to socialize and a larger outdoor play space for the children.

I even went so far as to suggest that the applicant “remove a few” of the units to help facilitate this. Couns. Lahti, Dilworth and Lubik were fine with moving the project forward as-is but Mayor Rob Vagramov, Coun. Madsen and I were not and voted in opposition.

The developer must have taken the comments to heart because they brought back a much-improved version to council which I wholeheartedly supported. There are now many happy families living in those new townhomes and the project is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood.

With regards to the Bold Anchor, I voted in opposition at first reading because I didn’t agree that the City should take a $3,700,000 hit on this project as the city simply could not afford to do so. Part of that $3.7M hit was the elimination of $900,000 in community amenity contributions.

Community Amenity Contributions, or CACs as they are commonly referred to, allow for the funding of public amenities. The City’s amenities/facilities are already over capacity, making this request and the other reduction in fees completely unacceptable. Couns. Lahti and Dilworth voted to move the project forward as-is while Mayor Vagramov, Couns. Lubik, Madsen and I voted in opposition.

When the project came back without this ultra-high fee waiver request, I voted in favour of the project moving forward which it did and is now currently under construction and I believe, already sold out.

These are good examples of how I consistently push the developers to do better, improving what each project will bring to the community and our residents’ quality of life while my opponent does not. As mayor, I will always stand firm to get the most for our community and put the needs of residents first.

Sincerely,

Steve Milani
Port Moody City Councillor and Mayoral Candidate