By Sandor Gyarmati

Those who hinted they support development on the Southlands were clearly in enemy waters at a forum at South Delta Secondary Monday.

Organized by a pair of local residents concerned about the future of the contentious Tsawwassen property, as well as the Tsawwassen Area Plan process they say is shutting out public input, the event drew a boisterous crowd of more than 400. The overwhelming majority made it clear they didn't want any development taking place on the Southlands.

Dana Maslovat, one of the organizers, went over several concerns about the Century Group's proposed development and the area plan process. He said he couldn't understand the justification of "using green politics to pave over farmland," a comment that drew a thunderous cheer.

Reminding those in attendance to sign a pair of petitions, Maslovat noted his group will meet with civic planning staff this Friday hoping to convince them to change the format for a pair of upcoming area plan meetings on the Southlands.

Co-organizer Greg Margharitis listed a series of concerns raised in an engineering report, noting 25 per cent of the planned residential land would be below flood level and approximately 40,000 truck trips would be needed to haul the required fill.

Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington told the crowd she has been mostly quiet on the topic because it was a municipal issue, but said it's clear people's voices are not being heard.

Noting Delta farmland is some of the best in the province, and also important for the Pacific Flyway, Huntington said she's been told by one Delta farmer the Southlands can and should be farmed.

"I also have a perspective that isn't shared by other people in this room, but I would like to see peace in Delta over this land," she said.

People in the audience then had their turn to speak and Maslovat reminded them it would be an opportunity for opponents to express their views. Speaker after speaker echoed their opposition to development on the Southlands, citing an array of concerns, including the preservation of farmland, wildlife and quality of life.

Former councillor Doug Massey, commenting on a housing proposal that met with stiff opposition in the 1970s, said preserving agriculture was "high on the agenda" years ago and there's no reason it shouldn't be the case today. He also cited traffic concerns that haven't been answered.

Rob Johnson told the audience he works with an environmental group interested in buying the site and designating it as a farm/park/ecological reserve, but it would like to know the price from the Century Group.

"There's not going to be any peace in developing this land in any manner," said Johnson.

Another resident complained development would change the entire social fabric of Tsawwassen.

Last updated in 1992, the Tsawwassen Area Plan might end up including recommendations that would pave the way for development on the roughly 500-acre Southlands property, no doubt the single biggest and most controversial issue for the area plan committee.

The Century Group, which has owned the site since the early '90s, wants to build 1,900 housing units using the concepts of new urbanism, while 42 per cent (about 200 acres) of the land would be dedicated to urban agriculture. The agricultural land would be given to Delta.

Century president Sean Hodgins attended Monday's meeting as well as some supporters and members of his Southlands Community Planning Team, although he didn't speak.

When a handful of people who took the mic indicated they were in favour of the Century Group plan and questioned the opposition, they were quickly and loudly shouted down.

Saying there were many different points of view in Tsawwassen, Carol Vignale was soundly jeered when she questioned why the event was being called a public forum.

"This is a voice for opposition, not a voice for the people of this community," she said as she was yelled at to be quiet.

Agrologist Wendy Holm, who made a presentation at an area plan public forum last fall claiming the entire Southlands was valuable farmland, reiterated her stance, saying about 90 to 95 per cent of the Southlands can be farmed.

Resident Peter Duffey, one of many who opposed the TDL proposal for the site 20 years ago, questioned the current process, saying Delta council will move ahead with whatever it wants. He said it will take a great deal of effort by many to stop development.

Another resident said Hodgins took a gamble the people would forget after 20 years.

The forum ended with brief speeches by Delta North NDP MLA Guy Gentner and NDP agriculture critic Lana Popham, who promised they'd do what they can to help preserve the Southlands for farming.

Delta South New Democrats attending a BCNDP provincial council meeting earlier this month received unanimous support for their resolution calling for the preservation of the Southlands.

© The Delta Optimist 2010