Newsletter Week of February 13-19, 2022: Council’s Troubling Basement Suite and Infill Densification Initiatives
It is obvious that this Council is pro-development and is committed to densifying single-family neighbourhoods. However, they certainly cannot be accused of advancing their densification objectives by half measures. Council has already “steered” their controversial, very expensive-impact, basement-suite initiative process to an advanced stage. If this weren’t enough to satisfy their densification objective, they decided go “the whole hog”.
Council has recently announced a second significant and expensive infill densification initiative. It is to run simultaneously with the multi-tenant basement suite initiative. In effect, besides basement suites, they plan to add many more single-family neighbourhood, non-taxable units that will result in even more environmental and infrastructure damage as well as a taxation revenue shortfall, and traffic and street-parking impacts.
Given the state of the infrastructure, the District’s precarious financial situation, the uncorrected zoning bylaw and the pandemic, Oak Bay doesn’t need basement suite and infill development at this stage when this will lead to so many unwanted impacts.
How could Council have been so far out of touch with reality when they prioritized densifying single-family neighbourhoods ahead of a much more acceptable (less impact) density increase on transit routes and in village areas.
Did you know that there is an Infill Resident Survey? Perhaps not, as it is not that easy to find, for some reason. The District’s February 3, 10, and 17, 2022 Oak Bay News’ half-page, (page #3) ads (Appendix#1) state, “over the coming weeks there will be a public survey” and paper copies will be (Note: not are) available at the Henderson, Monterey and Oak Bay Rec Centres and at the Municipal Hall."
According to the District Recreation Facilities they just received their copies this week, and Henderson Rec has not received theirs yet. Also the District’s “Spotlight” entry on the main District webpage, does not “shine its beam on” the Infill Survey that clearly.
From the District's Ad information in the Oak Bay News, one would assume the survey is “on the way and will be available on a future date”.
Therefore residents would not expect to find the Infill Survey on the District website.They would expect the Infill Survey's availability would be announced, as the District's Oak Bay News Ads signify, at a later date "over the coming weeks".
However, this is not at all the case. The survey’s timeline is: February 7rd to February the 28, 2022. This means the timeline started almost two weeks ago. By the time this newsletter is published there will only be a limited 10 days for left for anyone, not just residents (we don’t want to leave speculators and developers out) to complete the survey.
In order to actually find the Infill Survey online:
Step #1 is a visit to the District’s main page.
Step #2 click on: “Connect Oak Bay”
Step #3 click on “Let’s talk infill housing”
Step #4 Curser down approximately 2 pages to “Take Survey”.
Although there is an “Infill not wanted” option in the Survey: i.e. “Infill: None (I do not wish to see any infill housing in Oak Bay)”. A better option would have been: I do not wish to see any infill housing in Oak Bay until it can be taxed and the infrastructure can support it.
Council’s bottom line for their neighbourhood densification proposals however is: Oak Bay Council has gone far beyond most, if not all, BC Municipalities when they densified their single-family neighborhoods. Even more than over-the-top, pro-development Vancouver and Victoria. Their Councils, as most Councils did, introduced basement suites and infill development one bite-sized, infill housing option at a time.
Council and Staff state they are committed to the Official Community Plan’s Built Environment Policy of “maintaining the character and identity of Oak Bay’s single-family neighbourhoods” and “Support development and redevelopment that responds to the unique social, cultural, and environmental characteristics of each neighbourhood.” How then could Council members and Staff possibly believe their excessive densification initiatives meet these objectives?
Oak Bay Watch Perspective: We don't make the facts we report them
Does our Council really believe that densifying Oak Bay’s cherished, cornerstone single-family neighbourhoods with many more unregulated, untaxed, basement suites is a good idea?
“Densification” Collins Dictionary definition: “Densification degrades the quality of existing urban space and places greater burdens on an already creaking infrastructure.
The Downside of Infill Development is:
At the February 14, 2022 Council meeting, Council allocated even more Infill Strategy Process funding. This will increase the already committed $120,000 plus expenses to nearly or exceed the $200,000 tax dollar mark for this denseification initiative .
Council was also informed that 150 people had filled out the Infill Strategy Survey. It would be interesting to find out how these respondents found out that the survey was available and how many were Oak Bay Residents.
An excerpt from a recent Globe and Mail article summed up the affordable housing myth:
Patrick Condon, professor of urban design at University of B.C.
“More recently, I’ve come to understand that the problem isn’t the building, it’s the land underneath the building. When we encourage new density unfortunately it doesn’t help the renter or the home purchaser, who it really helps is the land speculator.”
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“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 bottom of oakbaywatch.com Home Page)
Appendix #1: Oak Bay News District Ads February 3, 10, 17, 2022
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It is obvious that this Council is pro-development and is committed to densifying single-family neighbourhoods. However, they certainly cannot be accused of advancing their densification objectives by half measures. Council has already “steered” their controversial, very expensive-impact, basement-suite initiative process to an advanced stage. If this weren’t enough to satisfy their densification objective, they decided go “the whole hog”.
Council has recently announced a second significant and expensive infill densification initiative. It is to run simultaneously with the multi-tenant basement suite initiative. In effect, besides basement suites, they plan to add many more single-family neighbourhood, non-taxable units that will result in even more environmental and infrastructure damage as well as a taxation revenue shortfall, and traffic and street-parking impacts.
Given the state of the infrastructure, the District’s precarious financial situation, the uncorrected zoning bylaw and the pandemic, Oak Bay doesn’t need basement suite and infill development at this stage when this will lead to so many unwanted impacts.
How could Council have been so far out of touch with reality when they prioritized densifying single-family neighbourhoods ahead of a much more acceptable (less impact) density increase on transit routes and in village areas.
Did you know that there is an Infill Resident Survey? Perhaps not, as it is not that easy to find, for some reason. The District’s February 3, 10, and 17, 2022 Oak Bay News’ half-page, (page #3) ads (Appendix#1) state, “over the coming weeks there will be a public survey” and paper copies will be (Note: not are) available at the Henderson, Monterey and Oak Bay Rec Centres and at the Municipal Hall."
According to the District Recreation Facilities they just received their copies this week, and Henderson Rec has not received theirs yet. Also the District’s “Spotlight” entry on the main District webpage, does not “shine its beam on” the Infill Survey that clearly.
From the District's Ad information in the Oak Bay News, one would assume the survey is “on the way and will be available on a future date”.
Therefore residents would not expect to find the Infill Survey on the District website.They would expect the Infill Survey's availability would be announced, as the District's Oak Bay News Ads signify, at a later date "over the coming weeks".
However, this is not at all the case. The survey’s timeline is: February 7rd to February the 28, 2022. This means the timeline started almost two weeks ago. By the time this newsletter is published there will only be a limited 10 days for left for anyone, not just residents (we don’t want to leave speculators and developers out) to complete the survey.
In order to actually find the Infill Survey online:
Step #1 is a visit to the District’s main page.
Step #2 click on: “Connect Oak Bay”
Step #3 click on “Let’s talk infill housing”
Step #4 Curser down approximately 2 pages to “Take Survey”.
Although there is an “Infill not wanted” option in the Survey: i.e. “Infill: None (I do not wish to see any infill housing in Oak Bay)”. A better option would have been: I do not wish to see any infill housing in Oak Bay until it can be taxed and the infrastructure can support it.
Council’s bottom line for their neighbourhood densification proposals however is: Oak Bay Council has gone far beyond most, if not all, BC Municipalities when they densified their single-family neighborhoods. Even more than over-the-top, pro-development Vancouver and Victoria. Their Councils, as most Councils did, introduced basement suites and infill development one bite-sized, infill housing option at a time.
Council and Staff state they are committed to the Official Community Plan’s Built Environment Policy of “maintaining the character and identity of Oak Bay’s single-family neighbourhoods” and “Support development and redevelopment that responds to the unique social, cultural, and environmental characteristics of each neighbourhood.” How then could Council members and Staff possibly believe their excessive densification initiatives meet these objectives?
Oak Bay Watch Perspective: We don't make the facts we report them
Does our Council really believe that densifying Oak Bay’s cherished, cornerstone single-family neighbourhoods with many more unregulated, untaxed, basement suites is a good idea?
“Densification” Collins Dictionary definition: “Densification degrades the quality of existing urban space and places greater burdens on an already creaking infrastructure.
The Downside of Infill Development is:
- Infill requires even more lot coverage that has to result in environmental damage and often to natural assets and tree damage or loss.
- It also has to impact the failing infrastructure negatively: more storm drain run off, sewage and traffic and street parking. The Mayor has stated that there will not be any infrastructure impact however, he did not provide any evidence to support his claim.
- Basement suite and infill development housing cannot be taxed by the municipality. Therefore, any financial impact will have to be covered by existing property taxpayers. These are taxpayers who are already facing, not only unprecedented cost-of-living expenditures, but also another Council announced high property tax increase.
- This type of housing densification benefits only some homeowners, developers and realtors, while the majority of residents suffer the impacts.
- Most of this high-impact infill and suite development will be unregulated. To date the District that has been unable regulate the existing suites and infill. Staff have not explained how they are going to prevent a continuation and escalation of this problem.
- It will be expensive and unproductive to administer the proposed infill and suite registration program. The evidence from other municipalities shows that only a few infill and suite owners will apply for registration.
- It will be expensive and unproductive to administer the proposed infill and suite registration program. The evidence from other municipalities shows that only a few infill and suite owners will apply for registration.
- It will also be expensive to provide the additional enforcement to deal with the various problems that always come with this type of increased unregulated density.
At the February 14, 2022 Council meeting, Council allocated even more Infill Strategy Process funding. This will increase the already committed $120,000 plus expenses to nearly or exceed the $200,000 tax dollar mark for this denseification initiative .
Council was also informed that 150 people had filled out the Infill Strategy Survey. It would be interesting to find out how these respondents found out that the survey was available and how many were Oak Bay Residents.
An excerpt from a recent Globe and Mail article summed up the affordable housing myth:
Patrick Condon, professor of urban design at University of B.C.
“More recently, I’ve come to understand that the problem isn’t the building, it’s the land underneath the building. When we encourage new density unfortunately it doesn’t help the renter or the home purchaser, who it really helps is the land speculator.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“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 bottom of oakbaywatch.com Home Page)
Appendix #1: Oak Bay News District Ads February 3, 10, 17, 2022
Home
