Development of the Shezidao (社子島) peninsula in Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) is still up in the air, despite residents voting to support Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) plan to turn the area into an “Ecological Shezidao,” because there remains a difference of opinion over the details of the redevelopment plan.
Results of the poll, which began on Saturday and ended on Sunday, showed that only about 35 percent of eligible voters cast their votes. Among the votes cast, 59.56 percent supported the “Ecological Shezidao” plan. None of the plans gained more than 900 votes.
The city has not allowed any major construction on Shezidao since 1970 in the name of flood prevention. Ko has pushed for redevelopment of the reclaimed peninsula since he took office in 2014, and he proposed four solutions for Shezidao residents to choose from in an online poll called “i-Voting.”
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The “Ecological Shezidao” plan, which was favored by the mayor, would include an eco-reserve covering 240 hectares and the construction of a light-rail system and a park.
The “Shezidao Canal” plan would limit the eco-reserve zone to 190 hectares, but include a light-rail system, with three canals on the peninsula.
The “Our Sheizidao” plan involves a preservation zone of 235 hectares and would include a light rail system, but would allow residents to keep their communities and let them decide how they want to develop the area.
The fourth option is to leave Shezidao undeveloped.
Voters must be at least 18 years old and must either be a registered Shezidao resident or own property there. According to the city, 14,478 people are qualified to vote.
Ko said that the city had previously estimated that the voting rate would be “a little more than 30 percent.”
Taipei Deputy Mayor Charles Lin (林欽榮) said that the “Ecological Shezidao” plan has the largest development area — 10.8 hectares — and largest eco-preservation area, adding that there would be a housing project to accommodate 4,860 households.
He said that the city estimated that the plan would create four river corridors as well as an open space and a park two times the size of Daan Forest Park in Daan District (大安).
Lin said that the design would control the water volume at the Tamsui River (淡水河) and Keelung River (基隆河). As it only contains a partial landfill, the development plan would proceed faster, he said.
According to Lin, the plan still needs to be reviewed by the Taipei Urban Planning Commission and the Environmental Protection Administration’s environmental impact assessment committee.
The city also plans to prevent flooding and expropriate properties, Lin said, adding that he hopes the plan is submitted to the central government this year after it is reviewed by the Urban Planning Commission.
While most residents support the “Ecological Shezidao” plan, some said that the floor area ratio should be raised from 160 percent. Some city councilors questioned how the city would relocate more than 10,000 residents when the city starts expropriating the properties.
In response, Lin said that the city would continue communicating with residents about the floor area ratio, relocation plan, soil liquefaction and other issues.
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