In 1987, residents of the village of Anmore voted to become their own municipality within Metro Vancouver, with the stated intent of “maintaining the rural character,” as the incoming mayor put it at the time, distinct from the quickly developing Tri-Cities to the south.
Thirty-eight years later, the municipality is in a debate over whether that character can — or should — be preserved.
“I always wanted to move up here because I like the rural ambiance and I like the quiet … feel of the community. And I believe everybody here feels that same way,” said Neil Lyons, a director with the Anmore Residents Association.
“Once we start going down that road of urbanization, it’s just a matter of time before we’re just like Port Moody.”
Lyons and his group are against the development proposal known as Anmore South. It’s a 151-acre plot of land owned by Icona Properties, currently …