Newsletter September 23, 2023: Council Decision Making 101- The Quest & Taxes
The Quest
Council’s discussion and its approval to move ahead with the Quest development proposal at the September the 11, 2023 meeting indicated that final approval was going to be its decision. Council did not consider most, if any, of the previous Council’s or the Community’s many reasons to deny the Quest proposal.
Council did make a “debated” concession to the neighbours and other residents opposing the development that they would hold a public meeting in October 2023. However, it was obvious, that Council had missed the Community’s point.
The Community has clearly explained it is not against the development or the location. Most of the concern and opposition is to:
The other point of interest at the Council meeting, that should also be a concern for residents is, a Council member explained that a bottle drive is held each month in order to help pay for resurfacing the running track next to Oak Bay High School.
Residents would be justified in thinking that is what their property taxes are for. That and the Carnarvon Park Master Plan improvements committed to long ago, as well as some additional (isolated) pickle ball courts etc. Unfortunately instead, hundreds of thousands of tax dollars are eaten up on the annual increase in new administration staff, consultants for Council’s development initiatives, and seemingly for every new project that comes along.
Why would residents be concerned? In addition to the misuse of tax dollars, These expenditures are a primary reason why their tax increases are so disproportionately high in every passing year.
Oak Bay Watch Perspective
What we would like to see:Newsletters
We are still trying to get our head around the over $300, 000 for two administration staff to write Strategic Priority Reports. This, while many of our residents struggle to make ends meet.
---------------------------------------------
“Nothing is inevitable if you are paying attention” Oak Bay Watch
Oak Bay Watch is a volunteer community association and its members have a variety of professional backgrounds in both the public and private sector.
*******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 the bottom of oakbaywatch.com Home Page)
Keep informed and sign up for our newsletter – at the bottom of the Newsletter top Menu Item.
The Quest
Council’s discussion and its approval to move ahead with the Quest development proposal at the September the 11, 2023 meeting indicated that final approval was going to be its decision. Council did not consider most, if any, of the previous Council’s or the Community’s many reasons to deny the Quest proposal.
Council did make a “debated” concession to the neighbours and other residents opposing the development that they would hold a public meeting in October 2023. However, it was obvious, that Council had missed the Community’s point.
The Community has clearly explained it is not against the development or the location. Most of the concern and opposition is to:
- A 15-unit condominium development on a single-family lot and the precedent this will set.
- The only charges that are going to be applied are infrastructure hook-up charges and a small amenity amount. There will be no development cost charges (DCCS). This is unlike most other municipalities, where they charge for the additional infrastructure wear and tear and, perhaps as this could be the Quest outcome, a number of replacement pipes. Charging the standard DCCs would mean existing residents would not have to pay any taxation costs for pipe replacement or improvement. There was no explanation of how 14 more housing units are not going to place more stress on Oak Bay’s fragile infrastructure.
- The very limited setbacks. Multi-dwelling transition zones to the single-family areas are eliminated.
- That this is not the affordable housing that the Province apparently has in mind. Also, the units are vulnerable to additional foreign speculation, now Parliament has given into the Development Industry and, all but removed their Foreign Speculation Ban.
The other point of interest at the Council meeting, that should also be a concern for residents is, a Council member explained that a bottle drive is held each month in order to help pay for resurfacing the running track next to Oak Bay High School.
Residents would be justified in thinking that is what their property taxes are for. That and the Carnarvon Park Master Plan improvements committed to long ago, as well as some additional (isolated) pickle ball courts etc. Unfortunately instead, hundreds of thousands of tax dollars are eaten up on the annual increase in new administration staff, consultants for Council’s development initiatives, and seemingly for every new project that comes along.
Why would residents be concerned? In addition to the misuse of tax dollars, These expenditures are a primary reason why their tax increases are so disproportionately high in every passing year.
Oak Bay Watch Perspective
What we would like to see:Newsletters
- Resident priorities supersede Council and Staff’s priorities.
- Council discussion, prior to public meetings,Home that indicate Council member’s have an open mind, as per recommended in the BC Councillor’s handbook. This would provide some credibility that public development meetings are not just token exercises.
- Given the year-in-year-out sizable governance cost increases, that Council conduct a District governance cost benefit analysis.
We are still trying to get our head around the over $300, 000 for two administration staff to write Strategic Priority Reports. This, while many of our residents struggle to make ends meet.
---------------------------------------------
“Nothing is inevitable if you are paying attention” Oak Bay Watch
Oak Bay Watch is a volunteer community association and its members have a variety of professional backgrounds in both the public and private sector.
*******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 the bottom of oakbaywatch.com Home Page)
Keep informed and sign up for our newsletter – at the bottom of the Newsletter top Menu Item.