Victoria city council voted unanimously to decline a development in the Gonzales neighbourhood that would have destroyed 11 Garry oak trees.
Twelve members of the public, many neighbours in close proximity to the property, spoke at a public hearing Thursday in opposition of the development permit with variances at 515 Foul Bay Rd., which borders Abkhazi Gardens. Two people, including one adjacent neighbour, spoke in favour of the application. The Alpha Developments project proposed to build three two-storey homes next to the existing early 1900s mansion, which was previously converted into five rental units.
The , the proposalB次元官网网址檚 incompatibility with the Gonzales neighbourhood plan, and loss of privacy for neighbours were the most common reasons given for lack of support for the development.
Mary Callaghan, said she could hardly believe the proposal had made it this far because it does not comply with Gonzales plan, which was damaging the CityB次元官网网址檚 relationship with the neighbourhood.
B次元官网网址淭rust has been eroded between when this plan was implemented and approved, and whatB次元官网网址檚 going on now,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f you donB次元官网网址檛 have trust, then you donB次元官网网址檛 have much left when youB次元官网网址檙e coming to work with people.B次元官网网址�
Janet Simpson said she could not understand why the cityB次元官网网址檚 planning staff and council would spend time on a proposal that did not enhance the neighbourhood.
B次元官网网址淭his proposal is an insult to all the neighbours who bought their large, beautiful tree-covered properties in good faith that the zoning and neighbourhood plan would be respected,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an insult to the cityB次元官网网址檚 commitment to protecting and preserving native ecosystems and adapting to climate change.B次元官网网址�
RELATED:
Mayor Lisa Helps moved to decline the application rather than send it back for revisions.
B次元官网网址淲e do need more housing, and if weB次元官网网址檙e not going to build it in neighbourhoods, and if weB次元官网网址檙e going to protect the Garry oaks B次元官网网址� which I think this council is very committed to B次元官网网址� then we are going to need to have more density on corridors and in village centres in the downtown,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗opefully the applicant will work with the neighbourhood to find something that can go here because I think that something can.B次元官网网址�
Coun. Pamela Madoff said Victoria is an attractive place to live, but for a particular reason.
B次元官网网址淚f we keep densifying in this way, nobodyB次元官网网址檚 going to want to live in Victoria, because weB次元官网网址檙e destroying the very thing people want to experience,B次元官网网址� she said to applause in the chambers. B次元官网网址淲hat you need on a site like this is an architectural response that, when you look at it you say, this is the only place these buildings could be or should be.B次元官网网址�
