Sun Tech City gets reprieve
Richmond News
January 9, 2009
By: Alan Campbell

Call it a stay of execution; call it a reprieve.

Whatever you call it, the developers behind one of Richmond's biggest potential housing developments have been given one last chance to get their act together.

City council made the surprising decision Tuesday night to go against a staff recommendation to ditch plans for the 16-tower Sun Tech City in north Richmond.

… But after hearing a last gasp plea from the developers, council gave them one last chance to get their heads together and meet the city's strict conditions, before a fourth reading can be given to the ambitious plans.

Both parties now have until March 2 to come back to city hall with compliance to the previously agreed conditions -- such as the Capstan station funding, affordable housing and a child care facility….

Coun. Harold Steves went further, saying he wanted to see all of the city's conditions met.

"If the Capstan station funding, affordable housing and child care are not met, then I will not be supporting this any longer," he said….

"We are honouring our share of paying for the Capstan station and the child-care facility and I would ask the council to give us more time, perhaps five or six months."

Couns. Bill McNulty, Greg Halsey-Brandt and Evelina Halsey-Brandt all expressed concerns that the two developers wouldn't, after another six months, be any closer to agreeing on their contributions than they were last year.

…In addition to the station, Richmond stands to benefit from 100 affordable housing units, a child-care facility for 25 kids, roads and parks.