Apl 1 ,2017 Newsletter Oak Bay Watch Newsletter April 1, 2017
Newsletters
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 5TH, 2017 - 5:00 pm
TO PRIORITIZE SPENDING MORE TAX DOLLARS ON INFILL DEVELOPMENT - BASEMENT SUITE & DUPLEX LEGALIZATION
Summary
Initially this was the agenda for the Special Council Meeting on April 5th, 2017. Council were to approve moving this recommendation forward a week later to the Council Estimates Committee meetings April 12th & 19th, 2017. At these meetings Council could then allocate funds for staffing and more consultant fees for this intensive densification initiative. It should be noted that a lot of staff time, resources and consultant involvement has already been used up on this initiative, with very few results.
However this has all changed. Staff has taken a look at a (just released) recent version of the Oak Bay Asset Management Report that indicates our infrastructure: roads, sewers, storm drains etc, are in very bad shape and in need of replacement and repair. Staff has also been informed that the Municipality has just received a Federal Government infrastructure grant. As a result staff are recommending to Council that a reassessment of all Council’s priorities is required. They have informed Council that:
Read on for more …………
The Problem is:
Council could ignore staff’s recommendations and approve the Infill Development initiative regardless. They could allocate the substantial tax dollars required for new staffing and consultants. However they would have to do this ahead of or with fixing our infrastructure. The recent staff report has indicated addressing “the poor or very poor” condition” of the majority of our infrastructure, “the sheer size of the task that lays ahead is daunting; at this time”.
Added to this to date no basement suite and duplex legalization facts have been provided about who will lose and what Community harm can be done. These are key planning and investment questions that require answers. Allowing adequate public consideration of these facts, and involving residents in decision-making are critical before moving ahead and spending a lot more staff time and expenditure. Staff have already informed Council that to accomplish all of their current priorities, consultant fees could cost over half a million dollars. New Infill Development consultant fees alone were estimated at $85,000 and this was with staff doing much of the work).
The Mayor & Council are now closing in on two years of planning their Infill Strategy but, so far there has been no information about: Why this might not work? Why this may not be sound policy? What has been the experience of other municipalities? What regulatory framework will be in place before legalization? Not providing a well funded, well-staffed regulation system is asking for trouble. Most important, where will the tax dollars come from to pay for the regulation? One of the three Council members who did not prioritize Infill Development has already pointed out that the “How To’s” are noticeable by their absence. The Official Community Plan and Oak Bay Watch say infrastructure is the main concern above all else.
What other issues are involved regarding a Council priority to spend money on legalizing basement suites and duplexes?
As indicated this will take valuable financing and resources away from our woefully, neglected, under funded infrastructure (roads, sewers & storm drain replacement and maintenance). Let’s take a look at what the Provincial Government has to say about impacts in their Secondary Suite Guidelines Report:
“There is a complex set of issues and challenges (read negative impacts) associated with secondary suites”.
The Provincial Government Guideline Report goes on to explain how various Municipalities have gone about dealing with these “Challenges”. While the Report for the most part promotes secondary suites what it does not explain is successful solutions to the challenges it identifies.
Duplex legalization is also problematic – Stratifying Oak Bay’s 400 estimated legal non-conforming duplexes will mean that many families now renting the adjoining other half could face eviction. This will seriously impact rental stock at a time when it is seriously in need. Also more demolitions are a threat, as many of the existing duplexes had to be built on much larger lots to comply with the zoning of the day. Under today’s much more liberal zoning, it will be very tempting for existing owners, or speculators to demolish and maximize their floor space and their profit at the expense of affordable housing. The spot zoned duplex currently going up at Estevan and Cadboro Bay Road is an example.
Good due diligence requires that we focus on what happens if plans go awry. For example it is important not to develop a profit making “speculative area” or a “venture investment” as one prominent Victoria real estate company advertised Oak Bay. Council still have not corrected the 2007 over-building zoning mistake indicated by the number of demolitions, homes floated away, tree cutting, and big box houses still going up.
Clearly then our Staff’s recommendation to address our infrastructure must come first. Then much more public information and input is required on Infill Development. Council MUST provide both the advantages and disadvantages of infill so the public can understand what the implications are. Resident participation in the decision-making is imperative. After all is this what good governance and the democratic process is all about?
What will Council decide on April 5th, 2017 – Infrastructure Or Densification?
See oakbaywatch.Com April 6th, 2017 for the result.
*******Please help us continue to provide you with information about Community concerns and Council decisions and actions. Oak Bay Watch members also help community groups with their specific development concerns. Donate to Oak Bay Watch - even $5 or $10 dollars provides expenses for door- to- door handouts and helps us maintain our website. Oak Bay Watch is committed to ensuring the Community gets the full range of information on budget, governance and all key development issues – a well informed opinion cannot be made without this.
(Please use Donate Button at bottom of oakbaywatch.com Home Page)
Newsletters
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 5TH, 2017 - 5:00 pm
TO PRIORITIZE SPENDING MORE TAX DOLLARS ON INFILL DEVELOPMENT - BASEMENT SUITE & DUPLEX LEGALIZATION
Summary
Initially this was the agenda for the Special Council Meeting on April 5th, 2017. Council were to approve moving this recommendation forward a week later to the Council Estimates Committee meetings April 12th & 19th, 2017. At these meetings Council could then allocate funds for staffing and more consultant fees for this intensive densification initiative. It should be noted that a lot of staff time, resources and consultant involvement has already been used up on this initiative, with very few results.
However this has all changed. Staff has taken a look at a (just released) recent version of the Oak Bay Asset Management Report that indicates our infrastructure: roads, sewers, storm drains etc, are in very bad shape and in need of replacement and repair. Staff has also been informed that the Municipality has just received a Federal Government infrastructure grant. As a result staff are recommending to Council that a reassessment of all Council’s priorities is required. They have informed Council that:
- The Federal Infrastructure Grant has to be prioritized, as it has to be used by a certain date.
- The Federal timeline means most of staff’s time available to spend on Council’s priorities will have to be applied to an infrastructure initiative.
- The District’s infrastructure problems should take priority and the Federal funding applied; and as staff now indicates almost no staff time and resources available, moving ahead with complex Infill Development legalization (basement suites & duplexes) is not a good idea and not recommended.
Read on for more …………
The Problem is:
Council could ignore staff’s recommendations and approve the Infill Development initiative regardless. They could allocate the substantial tax dollars required for new staffing and consultants. However they would have to do this ahead of or with fixing our infrastructure. The recent staff report has indicated addressing “the poor or very poor” condition” of the majority of our infrastructure, “the sheer size of the task that lays ahead is daunting; at this time”.
Added to this to date no basement suite and duplex legalization facts have been provided about who will lose and what Community harm can be done. These are key planning and investment questions that require answers. Allowing adequate public consideration of these facts, and involving residents in decision-making are critical before moving ahead and spending a lot more staff time and expenditure. Staff have already informed Council that to accomplish all of their current priorities, consultant fees could cost over half a million dollars. New Infill Development consultant fees alone were estimated at $85,000 and this was with staff doing much of the work).
The Mayor & Council are now closing in on two years of planning their Infill Strategy but, so far there has been no information about: Why this might not work? Why this may not be sound policy? What has been the experience of other municipalities? What regulatory framework will be in place before legalization? Not providing a well funded, well-staffed regulation system is asking for trouble. Most important, where will the tax dollars come from to pay for the regulation? One of the three Council members who did not prioritize Infill Development has already pointed out that the “How To’s” are noticeable by their absence. The Official Community Plan and Oak Bay Watch say infrastructure is the main concern above all else.
What other issues are involved regarding a Council priority to spend money on legalizing basement suites and duplexes?
As indicated this will take valuable financing and resources away from our woefully, neglected, under funded infrastructure (roads, sewers & storm drain replacement and maintenance). Let’s take a look at what the Provincial Government has to say about impacts in their Secondary Suite Guidelines Report:
“There is a complex set of issues and challenges (read negative impacts) associated with secondary suites”.
- One of the major concerns of residents is that owners of housing with
- Fairness of property taxes. Owners of homes with illegal suites may not be paying their fair share of property taxes.
- Standards for health and safety. Construction of suites without a building permit means that the health and safety standards set out in the building Code may not be met. (*Stoves are the number one cause of BC fires)
- Parking. ….that suites will create parking problems is a common source of resident concern.
- The impact on built form …..the perceived impact of secondary suites on built form can be an issue.
- Bylaw enforcement, (seeking out illegal suites and enforcing the bylaw) is a significant issue for local government. ( Note:) Not to mention very expensive and complicated. A lot of additional tax dollars are required.
- Administrative costs. For smaller jurisdictions (such as Oak Bay) with scarce staff resources, dealing with suites may not be a priority.
- Some jurisdictions see the cost of bylaw enforcement as a stumbling block.
- Variable definition of “single family”. Some cultural groups tend to want extended family members living together in the same house.
The Provincial Government Guideline Report goes on to explain how various Municipalities have gone about dealing with these “Challenges”. While the Report for the most part promotes secondary suites what it does not explain is successful solutions to the challenges it identifies.
Duplex legalization is also problematic – Stratifying Oak Bay’s 400 estimated legal non-conforming duplexes will mean that many families now renting the adjoining other half could face eviction. This will seriously impact rental stock at a time when it is seriously in need. Also more demolitions are a threat, as many of the existing duplexes had to be built on much larger lots to comply with the zoning of the day. Under today’s much more liberal zoning, it will be very tempting for existing owners, or speculators to demolish and maximize their floor space and their profit at the expense of affordable housing. The spot zoned duplex currently going up at Estevan and Cadboro Bay Road is an example.
Good due diligence requires that we focus on what happens if plans go awry. For example it is important not to develop a profit making “speculative area” or a “venture investment” as one prominent Victoria real estate company advertised Oak Bay. Council still have not corrected the 2007 over-building zoning mistake indicated by the number of demolitions, homes floated away, tree cutting, and big box houses still going up.
Clearly then our Staff’s recommendation to address our infrastructure must come first. Then much more public information and input is required on Infill Development. Council MUST provide both the advantages and disadvantages of infill so the public can understand what the implications are. Resident participation in the decision-making is imperative. After all is this what good governance and the democratic process is all about?
What will Council decide on April 5th, 2017 – Infrastructure Or Densification?
See oakbaywatch.Com April 6th, 2017 for the result.
*******Please help us continue to provide you with information about Community concerns and Council decisions and actions. Oak Bay Watch members also help community groups with their specific development concerns. Donate to Oak Bay Watch - even $5 or $10 dollars provides expenses for door- to- door handouts and helps us maintain our website. Oak Bay Watch is committed to ensuring the Community gets the full range of information on budget, governance and all key development issues – a well informed opinion cannot be made without this.
(Please use Donate Button at bottom of oakbaywatch.com Home Page)