Re: Survey says build (News Dec. 18).
This headline is very misleading. What the survey said was build if you, “Assume the key issues such as tree protection, parking, traffic, noise and neighbourhood character will be addressed.”
Unfortunately with most members of this council, we can assume no such thing. Many of their initiatives and lack of corrective over building action has done nothing of the sort.
In many cases, not only have none of these issues been addressed, but other important, inclusive issues have been ignored. Some classic examples are: the pending Clive proposal; a giant, over-built duplex proposal that council almost passed; and its inaction on the monster house issue which many Oak Bay residents have formally complained about since 2011.
Many of the comments by the mayor and a councillor in the article were premature and also inappropriate. At the meeting the results were presented at, there was concern that the questions were difficult to answer because they were framed to lead to a desired result. The consultant pointed out there would be more clarity when the comments section was released. However, she did not explain why the report was published ahead of this qualifying information.
Oak Bay is a unique community that has always carefully controlled its growth.
Its community plan and bylaws have provided important land use protections for existing residents. These protections are very difficult to maintain as many other CRD municipalities have learned.
Council has stated it is committed to: “establish a policy framework that allows gradual, sustainable change while remaining true to Oak Bay’s essential values and character.”
Just how it is going to do this given its limited enforcement resources, record to date and obvious densification agenda remains to be seen.
Anthony Mears
Oak Bay
