Bulletin: Council Meeting - Monday, September 17, 2018 -
More Taxpayer Dollars at RISK
There is strong possibility the Mayor and his 3 support Councillors will risk wasting $60,000 of Taxpayer dollars at this meeting. See District Website Meeting agenda item #16: Secondary Suites Policy and Regulation - Request for Proposal Award.
Are we expected to believe a Vancouver Company has the answers to all of the many impacts and costs that legalizing suites will result in? Vancouver Council report after report highlights the many serious related problems. If the next Council has much more balance, less collusion and is evidence-driven, it will almost surely cancel this contract, and favor the Overall Housing Plan Councillors Murdoch, Braithwaite and Zhelka have been pressing for this Term. A new Council will also most likely honor long-term Councillor Herbert’s last minute amendment to the Official Community Plan, he fought to have included, “Infill Residential (suites) – in consultation with the public”.
This $60,000 taxpayer expenditure Proposal must be deferred:
We urge you to attend Monday’s Council Meeting – Secondary Suite Legislation if approved will lead to morel Infill Development – Suites are presently legal in Oak Bay, the only restrictions are: they must be safe (no stoves, the number #1 cause of fires in Canada) and only two residents. The current enforcement system is working well, why introduce problems most other communities are struggling to solve. Council has already wasted $45, 000 on a resident rejected 2016 Infill Strategy: the current proposal could make this needless loss to taxpayers exceed well over $100,000.
For more information on this issue see oakbaywatch.com
February 24, 2018 Newsletter
More Taxpayer Dollars at RISK
There is strong possibility the Mayor and his 3 support Councillors will risk wasting $60,000 of Taxpayer dollars at this meeting. See District Website Meeting agenda item #16: Secondary Suites Policy and Regulation - Request for Proposal Award.
- The Secondary Suite $60,000 Contract will be awarded to another Vancouver Company for what is deceptively called a Secondary Suites Study. That is until you read the Report’s fine print. It describes the “Deliverables” i.e. # 4.“Draft secondary suite policy options and regulatory framework. #5. Final set of secondary suite policies and regulatory framework, with presentation to Council”. Is this sounding anything like a study yet and, more to the point, are residents really expected to believe it will be?
- Additionally, the fine print reveals there are many hidden additional costs to this project. The fees include the Consultant’s team’s travel, accommodation and meal expenses, the Sub-Consultant hourly charges etc. etc. These will be substantial.
- Public Consultation – Good Luck. Are we also expected to believe the Mayor will break with his practice of what amounts to limited transparency? Are we really expected to believe there will be any adequate suite consultation or collaboration? Particularly after: Councilor Ney’s resolution to, “Implement a Secondary Suite Program”; Council’s approved (3 Councillor contested) “Secondary Suite Terms of Reference” and now the “Secondary Suite Contract Award” have all by-passed even the limited opportunity for discussion Council’s Committee of the Whole Meetings provide? Mayor Jenson in Friday’s Oak Bay News announced if elected he will, “Regulate Secondary Suites” which is vague way of saying license a handful of suites while allowing multiple tenants, airbnb and stoves in all the illegal ones.
Are we expected to believe a Vancouver Company has the answers to all of the many impacts and costs that legalizing suites will result in? Vancouver Council report after report highlights the many serious related problems. If the next Council has much more balance, less collusion and is evidence-driven, it will almost surely cancel this contract, and favor the Overall Housing Plan Councillors Murdoch, Braithwaite and Zhelka have been pressing for this Term. A new Council will also most likely honor long-term Councillor Herbert’s last minute amendment to the Official Community Plan, he fought to have included, “Infill Residential (suites) – in consultation with the public”.
This $60,000 taxpayer expenditure Proposal must be deferred:
- For approval, it will need two of the Mayor's Support Councillor's votes and they are not running for re-election. They will be committing you and a new Council to fund and move forward with a major land-use change the Community has not been consulted about.
- A Contract cancellation will have financial implications for you e.g breach of contract fines; damages etc.
- To put this into an election perspective Mayor Jensen, who is aware that the District’s broken zoning urgently requires a review, has instead prioritized allowing secondary suites. In effect, this means he wants to not only allow over-building a house next to you but, also to add a garden or a basement suite.
- Introducing this Consultant Contract Proposal within a few weeks of a Municipal election with almost no transparency demonstrates poor, biased and irresponsible governance.
We urge you to attend Monday’s Council Meeting – Secondary Suite Legislation if approved will lead to morel Infill Development – Suites are presently legal in Oak Bay, the only restrictions are: they must be safe (no stoves, the number #1 cause of fires in Canada) and only two residents. The current enforcement system is working well, why introduce problems most other communities are struggling to solve. Council has already wasted $45, 000 on a resident rejected 2016 Infill Strategy: the current proposal could make this needless loss to taxpayers exceed well over $100,000.
For more information on this issue see oakbaywatch.com
February 24, 2018 Newsletter