Impact Information and Consultation MUST Come Before A Decision to Densify Our Single-Family Neighbourhoods!
Councilor Ney’s resolution (Council motion) scheduled for the February 26, 2018 Council Meeting Agenda, is to implement yet another of the four Council member densification initiatives. This is “Fast Tracking”- a process to legalize secondary suites (currently mostly basement suites) in Oak Bay. Unfortunately, for single-family neighbourhood residents it will “Fast Track” all the related problems and densification impacts as well.
Yes we have a number of illegal suites now, but this number will not change with legalization. Research shows that very few suites register after legalization. What does change, however, are the increased costs of enforcement; how to control the growth of new illegal suites; and where the money will come from for a Regulatory Secondary Suite Program. The Mayor has stated all this will be revenue neutral: however he has provided no details. What are some of the real impacts of legalizing suites that need to be considered and provided to residents before moving forward at this time?
A quick glance at communities that have legalized suites and infill, without first addressing the serious impact problems that result, will illustrate what is in store for existing Oak Bay residents.
Another big problem with Councillor Ney’s premature, recommended Secondary Suite motion is it disregards the OCP prescribed Official Community Plan (OCP) process and its intent for these types of infill (basement and garden suites etc). This is to:
Provide transparency and all the relevant information to the public and then consider with residents first before moving ahead to a bylaw, guidelines, secondary suite program stage.
To ignore this means that Council will have “arbitrarily” decided for the community. Council will have bypassed their Strategic Plan Suite Review and full public consultation on this decision. This violates the principle that residents have a common law right to be heard - particularly about a major land use change that legalizes suites in their neighbourhoods. A “late stage” consultation about how to implement a Secondary Suite Program does not satisfy this common law principle.
At the OCP Public Hearing, Councillor John Herbert insisted this public consultation condition be included. It was the only change allowed - although many residents were opposed to much of the land use content and they offered positive suggestions.
Councillor Ney’s motion refers to results from:
These should not be used to arbitrarily fast track a major land use change that will have so many harmful impacts.
Councillor Ney has overlooked an important finding in the OCP Resident Survey. It found the results on legalizing Secondary Suites was inconclusive (see page #63 District website). The Survey Findings assumed a Housing Strategy would be developed first. It also states there was confusion in answering the question on legalizing suites and recommended, before moving ahead, that a further survey be conducted to clarify the obvious resident confusion in answering the question on suites, particularly the way the question was framed.
There is no doubt Secondary Suites help some residents: however as played out elsewhere, the majority of residents without suites do not benefit. Council members Jensen, Ney, Kirby and Croft have repeatedly made it clear they strongly favour legalizing basement suites in our Single Family Neighbourhhoods. So it is of the utmost importance in this election year, to identify which Council members vote to disregard public consultation and collaboration and who on Council are in favor of it.
As previously pointed out at Council, our present system of enforcement although not perfect, is working well. To change it without a demonstrably better control model most certainly would have adverse consequences.
Moving ahead with a Suite legalization Process now will have an immediate impact on staff time, district resources and the 2018 budget. The budget is already under heavy pressure: satisfying staff wage increases; new administration staff salaries; a new infrastructure fund allocation; passing on significant increased CRD sewage taxpayer costs; paying expensive consultants and implementing all the other Council priorities now under way.
Additionally, the District is in a transitional stage of replacing key senior staff so this is no time to take on a land use change that produces such extensive cost impacts, and requires such public collaboration and consideration.
If approved this resolution will move forward the most important densification change to our single family neighbourhoods this Council, or any previous Council, has made. It is likely that this decision and a final approval decision will rest on one vote (the Mayor‘s). Therefore, in keeping with the Official Community Plan to which Council often refers, Homeit is imperative that the public receives all the relevant information and, has a voice in a “Legalizing Secondary Suites decision” before moving to an advanced implementation stage.
PLEASE! MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND COUNCIL ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018 at 7:00 pm AND/OR EMAIL “Mayor in Council” at [email protected] with your Views or Submission.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*******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)
Keep informed please sign up for our newsletter – bottom of Newsletter Menu Item.
Councilor Ney’s resolution (Council motion) scheduled for the February 26, 2018 Council Meeting Agenda, is to implement yet another of the four Council member densification initiatives. This is “Fast Tracking”- a process to legalize secondary suites (currently mostly basement suites) in Oak Bay. Unfortunately, for single-family neighbourhood residents it will “Fast Track” all the related problems and densification impacts as well.
Yes we have a number of illegal suites now, but this number will not change with legalization. Research shows that very few suites register after legalization. What does change, however, are the increased costs of enforcement; how to control the growth of new illegal suites; and where the money will come from for a Regulatory Secondary Suite Program. The Mayor has stated all this will be revenue neutral: however he has provided no details. What are some of the real impacts of legalizing suites that need to be considered and provided to residents before moving forward at this time?
- Increased noise, traffic, parking, Airbnb etc. (all issues difficult to control);
- Secondary Suite Program costs for Regulation and Enforcement;
- The issue of liability: moving this from the homeowner to the Community.
- The effect on our deteriorating infrastructure (finally recognized by Council);
- Urban Forest tree and vegetation loss projections;
A quick glance at communities that have legalized suites and infill, without first addressing the serious impact problems that result, will illustrate what is in store for existing Oak Bay residents.
Another big problem with Councillor Ney’s premature, recommended Secondary Suite motion is it disregards the OCP prescribed Official Community Plan (OCP) process and its intent for these types of infill (basement and garden suites etc). This is to:
Provide transparency and all the relevant information to the public and then consider with residents first before moving ahead to a bylaw, guidelines, secondary suite program stage.
To ignore this means that Council will have “arbitrarily” decided for the community. Council will have bypassed their Strategic Plan Suite Review and full public consultation on this decision. This violates the principle that residents have a common law right to be heard - particularly about a major land use change that legalizes suites in their neighbourhoods. A “late stage” consultation about how to implement a Secondary Suite Program does not satisfy this common law principle.
At the OCP Public Hearing, Councillor John Herbert insisted this public consultation condition be included. It was the only change allowed - although many residents were opposed to much of the land use content and they offered positive suggestions.
Councillor Ney’s motion refers to results from:
- Selected notes from very small resident samples and,
- Statistics obtained from questions designed to achieve certain results
These should not be used to arbitrarily fast track a major land use change that will have so many harmful impacts.
Councillor Ney has overlooked an important finding in the OCP Resident Survey. It found the results on legalizing Secondary Suites was inconclusive (see page #63 District website). The Survey Findings assumed a Housing Strategy would be developed first. It also states there was confusion in answering the question on legalizing suites and recommended, before moving ahead, that a further survey be conducted to clarify the obvious resident confusion in answering the question on suites, particularly the way the question was framed.
There is no doubt Secondary Suites help some residents: however as played out elsewhere, the majority of residents without suites do not benefit. Council members Jensen, Ney, Kirby and Croft have repeatedly made it clear they strongly favour legalizing basement suites in our Single Family Neighbourhhoods. So it is of the utmost importance in this election year, to identify which Council members vote to disregard public consultation and collaboration and who on Council are in favor of it.
As previously pointed out at Council, our present system of enforcement although not perfect, is working well. To change it without a demonstrably better control model most certainly would have adverse consequences.
Moving ahead with a Suite legalization Process now will have an immediate impact on staff time, district resources and the 2018 budget. The budget is already under heavy pressure: satisfying staff wage increases; new administration staff salaries; a new infrastructure fund allocation; passing on significant increased CRD sewage taxpayer costs; paying expensive consultants and implementing all the other Council priorities now under way.
Additionally, the District is in a transitional stage of replacing key senior staff so this is no time to take on a land use change that produces such extensive cost impacts, and requires such public collaboration and consideration.
If approved this resolution will move forward the most important densification change to our single family neighbourhoods this Council, or any previous Council, has made. It is likely that this decision and a final approval decision will rest on one vote (the Mayor‘s). Therefore, in keeping with the Official Community Plan to which Council often refers, Homeit is imperative that the public receives all the relevant information and, has a voice in a “Legalizing Secondary Suites decision” before moving to an advanced implementation stage.
PLEASE! MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND COUNCIL ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018 at 7:00 pm AND/OR EMAIL “Mayor in Council” at [email protected] with your Views or Submission.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*******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)
Keep informed please sign up for our newsletter – bottom of Newsletter Menu Item.