As a Monday night public hearing into the near Trinity Western University (TWU) was winding down, 91原创 Township Mayor Jack Froese announced it would not end that evening.

Froese said the hearing was being adjourned to Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. so council could hear from representatives of of the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) 鈥渋n all fairness, to make sure everyone has a chance to make submissions.鈥�

The public hearing was told the proposal to build housing on land across Glover Road from the university has been trimmed by 67 acres to 376 acres, after the ALC ruled that some of the undeveloped land should be preserved for farming.

At the Monday hearing, with the exception of one university representative, all the speakers were against the project. Most said all of the land should have been preserved for farming.

The opponents were concerned about the loss of agricultural land and the potential environmental impact of the proposed 鈥渦niversity district鈥�.

Dennis Townsend suggested the university could free up space on its existing site for a housing development by building a parkade.

鈥淭here is plenty of room to grow鈥� Townsend said.

He estimated about a third of the TWU land is currently used for parking lots.

Gary Reid, whose family has operated a farm for 35 years on land next to the proposed project, predicted the arrival of housing on their border will eventually bring an end to their business.

鈥淚f anything changes in this area, we鈥檙e basically out of farming,鈥� Reid said.

He was not happy with the ALC ruling against preserving the site for agricultural use.

鈥淚t is very viable farmland,鈥� Reid said.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how it got taken out.鈥�

Another critic, Hugh Davis, said the site was not a good 鈥渂uilding spot.鈥�

鈥淭here鈥檚 more than 20 feet of blue clay in there,鈥� Davis told council.

鈥淭hose are really deep gullies.鈥�

Council has already given preliminary approval to the proposal to amend the Rural Plan for the three properties at 7645 and 7679 Glover Road, and 22423 Labonte Cres. to create a 鈥淯niversity District鈥� of housing, along with some commercial development to serve the housing.

Metro Vancouver has objected to the proposal, saying it doesn鈥檛 fit the regional body鈥檚 goal of concentrating development in selected urban areas.

The plan also involves transferring 52 acres adjacent to the Salmon River to the Township for conservation purposes. That land is currently part of the Wall property, located at Highway 10 and 72 Avenue. It is included by the Township in the university district.

The Monday public hearing did not discuss a separate, related application to build 67 compact residential lots on the 153-acre Wall property, located at 22415 72 Ave., which is seen as part of the university鈥檚 vision to increase student and staff housing.