Fast-tracked projects opening ‘can of worms’
A plan by the mayor of Surrey to fast-track several “transformative” developments through city hall — including at least three projects by developers that contributed to her Surrey First party in the last election — has some democracy watchers concerned.
During her state of the city address last week, Linda Hepner outlined plans to select six to eight projects each year and accelerate them through the city’s development process with the aim of cutting approval time in half. She said the projects would still have to go through normal processes, including public hearings and votes by council.
But critics say the plan will set a “dangerous precedent,” giving the mayor too much power over what goes before council and when and giving the appearance of crony capitalism in Metro Vancouver’s fastest-growing city.
“When you have politicians making staff decisions on what to bring to council, you’re opening a real can of worms,” said Dermod Travis, executive director of IntegrityBC. “It opens you up to criticism, legitimate or otherwise, when you start treating some developers differently than others.”
Travis said Hepner should have put the idea to a council vote before announcing it as if she was “above council.”
In an earlier interview with Postmedia, Hepner said she consulted with senior city staff to decide how many and which projects would be fast-tracked this year, but the final decision was hers.
In addition to the SFU Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering building, which is already under construction, the mayor chose four developments for special treatment.
The list includes the Lark Group’s Legion Veterans Village. The Lark Group donated $12,100 to Surrey First in 2014, according to Elections B.C. online financial reports.
Hepner also chose a 41-storey Concord Pacific development called Park Boulevard. Concord Pacific donated $4,000 to Surrey First in 2014. It donated the same amount to two other Surrey parties.
Anthem Properties’ proposed Surrey City Centre development is also on the mayor’s fast-track list. Anthem donated $12,000 to Surrey First, according to Elections B.C. It also made donations totalling $5,000 to other parties.
The mayor also selected a Jim Pattison Development Group project. The Jim Pattison Development Group did not make any contributions to Surrey candidates in the last election.
On Thursday, Hepner defended each project and the process that led to their selection, saying it was “a process of visioning — no more, no less.” The mayor said concerned citizens should look at the projects themselves as they were selected for their ability to benefit the city.
Hepner also emphasized the process would be “incredibly transparent” moving forward, ensuring citizens understand why each project was chosen.
That will be key for the success of the mayor’s plan, said Andy Yan, director of SFU’s City Program.
“As long as the process is transparent and it’s clear why (the projects) are being fast-tracked, this really represents a leadership call,” he said. “If the public does not like the process, the mayor is accountable at the ballot box.”