After a 30-year-debate over a historic piece of land in Tsawwassen, Delta City Council voted to approve the controversial Southlands development project Friday.
Delta city councillors voted 5-1 in favour of the development, which will include 950 housing units, parks and farm land.
Sylvia Bishop was the only councillor to vote against the project.
The proposal will now move on to the final stage of public hearings and will need to be approved by Metro Vancouver.
The 45-hectares of land used to be part of the Agricultural Land Reserve, but was removed in the 1980s. The property will need rezoning to allow the development to go forward.
If approved, developer Century Group plans to turn 20 per cent of the land into cottage, townhome and apartment-style housing. The project will also include 80,000 square feet of commercial space.
The other 80 per cent of the land will be turned into public community farming and park land.
Mayor Lois Jackson expressed her approval of the project, adding that she would push to have the designated farm land put back into the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Opponents of the project, wearing red hats to the council meeting Friday, raised concerns about loss of wildlife habitat, traffic concerns and other environmental issues.
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