Development Rejection a Crucial Green Test for Council

The recent decision by District of North Vancouver council to reject the application for 46 strata townhomes at 3374–3390 Mount Seymour Parkway is more than a routine planning matter — it’s a test of who on council truly stands for environmental protection.

The proposal would have replaced five single-family homes and two forested lots owned by the District of North Vancouver with eight three-storey buildings containing 46 units, 10 lock-off suites, and 71 underground parking spaces. This was not a simple infill project — it involved the permanent loss of forested public land. The site sits just south of Northlands Golf Course and north of Mount Seymour Parkway, in a green corridor valued by residents for its ecological and recreational significance.

Councillors Muri, Hanson, and Forbes rightly voted against the proposal. Councillors Back, Mah, and Pope, however, voted in favour — effectively endorsing the clearing of forested public land owned by the people of the North Vancouver to make way for more market-rate housing. This vote draws a clear line between those who walk the talk on environmental values and those who don’t.

It is a false choice to claim we must sacrifice natural lands to solve the housing crisis. Cities like San Francisco and Hong Kong have not made housing affordable by building more market units. North Vancouver won’t either.

There are better ways to add housing while protecting what makes our community so special. Using planning tools such as infill, gentle densification, and non-market solutions such as subsidized rentals, co-ops, and rent-to-own housing can increase housing supply without destroying forests. These approaches focus on real affordability and use previously developed land more wisely.

This development proposal should be a wake-up call to residents who value our public forests. It won’t be the last time a developer tries to justify forest clearance by claiming it’s necessary for housing. We must remain vigilant and continue to support leaders who recognize that preserving nature and addressing housing needs are not mutually exclusive.

Let’s remember which councillors stood up for our forests — and which ones didn’t.

Trey Bell