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The Pitt Polder Preservation Society vs. the District of Pitt Meadows
For details follow the link to BC Supreme Court Reason for Judgment
| 1997: Changes proposed to zoning bylaws |
|
The Polder Society was formed in 1997 to fight against proposed
changes to zoning bylaws that would have allowed Swan-e-set
Bay Golf Resort to build residential housing and a hotel on
the uplands of the polder. The Mayor and the majority of council
supported development, but there was fierce opposition from
the community. The Concerned Citizens of Pitt Meadows, an ad
hoc group, and the Polder Society formed an alliance and gathered
enough signatures to trigger a referendum. Shortly before the
referendum was to be held, the developer, realizing that the
community would not support the rezoning change, temporarily
withdrew the rezoning application. |
|
May 1998: Referendum bylaw repealed |
| Despite tremendous opposition by the community,
Council repealed the referendum bylaw on land use that would have
allowed citizens a say on land issues. |
| October 1998: Another rezoning application
submitted |
|
The developer, Swan-e-set Bay Golf Resort, submitted another
rezoning application. |
|
March 1999: Application Passed
|
| After four days of public hearings, Council
passed the rezoning application. Swan-e-set announced that it
would start building the the following year. |
| The Pitt Polder Preservation
Society takes the District to court |
|
The only avenue left open for the Society to stop the development
was through the courts. After careful research, the Polder Society
took the District of Pitt Meadows to court on the grounds that
it withheld pertinent information from the public. The Society
lost the case, but decided to launch an appeal to the Supreme
Court of Canada, despite legal advice that the chances of success
were not high. |
| June 2000: Supreme Court
rules in favour of the Society |
|
In June 2000, after a unanimous decision by four judges, the
Supreme Court released its ruling in favour of the Society.
The rezoning approval was overturned. The Society had saved
this environmentally sensitive wetland. |
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