B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty amazing what Stew Young and council have done,B次元官网网址� says Langford resident Brooke Somers as soon as we sit down.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e done a really good job, and IB次元官网网址檓 very proud to live here. But I feel alienated.B次元官网网址�
She sighs. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never been personally directly impacted by the development until now,B次元官网网址� she says, which is why sheB次元官网网址檚 so conflicted about whatB次元官网网址檚 happening behind her house.
Somers purchased her house in 2009 in the Thetis Heights subdivision beside the Trans Canada Highway off Millstream Road, and was told at the time there were no plans to develop the property between her home and the highway. But the bulldozers moved in some months ago and started clearing the land off the end of Bellamy Road for development, and she feels she missed an opportunity to have a say in that.
B次元官网网址淭hey want to cut red tape and make development happen more easily, which I think is great,B次元官网网址� she admits, but she wishes there was more clarity and transparency during the process.
Are they cutting too much of the red tape? Is there some middle ground so that developers donB次元官网网址檛 get bogged down in consultation but the public can still be informed? Somers says it sometimes feels as if the decisions have already been made and the process is just a formality B次元官网网址� a rubber stamp at the end, as it were.
B次元官网网址淚 just want them to allow me to be a community member and participate in the process. That piece seems to be missing.B次元官网网址�
According to Matthew Baldwin, director of planning for the City of Langford, this particular case is one of very few where development of property can begin without public consultation.
The land in question was acquired in the 1980s by the province to complete the highway project, which included the Millstream overpass, Baldwin says. The remnant pieces of unused land were sold off after completion of that project.
B次元官网网址淭he city could have purchased them and kept them as park land,B次元官网网址� he says,B次元官网网址� but it would have essentially caused a two-per-cent hike in peopleB次元官网网址檚 property taxes and we didnB次元官网网址檛 see that being a good use of public funds.B次元官网网址�
The zoning of that property has technically been for residential development since 1967. And since it is being developed under its current designation and all requirements have been met to acquire a development permit B次元官网网址� environmental assessment by a biologist to establish no sensitive ecosystems are being affected, for example B次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 no process or requirement in place for public consultation.
Baldwin says it would be unmanageable if every time someone wanted to do something on their own private land, it had to go to a public debate.
B次元官网网址淚f you have a proposal that meets the cityB次元官网网址檚 guidelines (for what the property has been zoned for), then whatB次元官网网址檚 left to discuss?B次元官网网址� Baldwin says.
Langford Coun. Denise Blackwell chairs the cityB次元官网网址檚 planning, zoning and affordable housing committee. She says the cityB次元官网网址檚 public consultation process is actually more informative than many other jurisdictions. Municipalities are not required to announce bylaw or zoning amendments before the public hearing phase of the process, but Langford announces those details before a development even goes to committee to be discussed, she says.
Baldwin adds that Langford in is a situation where most developments require rezoning before they can move forward, which is where the public engagement process would happen.
Somers says she realizes itB次元官网网址檚 not a requirement for developers to notify nearby residents of their plans or actions unless they are planning something other than what the land has been zoned for, but she thinks it would be nice if they did, anyway.
SheB次元官网网址檇 also like the city to be more transparent in the way it promotes growth happening in the community, as she feels the process is confusing and theyB次元官网网址檙e not doing anything to remedy that.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 just like them to take this opportunity to show theyB次元官网网址檙e listening to peopleB次元官网网址檚 concerns. IB次元官网网址檓 pleased that they responded at all, I guess, but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 feel like my concerns are valued.B次元官网网址�
More than anything, Somers says, she would like the City of Langford to engage the public more from an informational standpoint.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 all about change management,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淧eople need to be prepared for whatB次元官网网址檚 coming so they can continue to be invested in the community. Change is happening, and itB次元官网网址檚 great, but even those of us who love it here and support the changes need to be filled in on the B次元官网网址榳hyB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址榟owB次元官网网址� of things, or they risk alienating us.B次元官网网址�
Blackwell says itB次元官网网址檚 not that council doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to engage the citizenry, itB次元官网网址檚 just that they donB次元官网网址檛 want to give people false hope when their opinions wonB次元官网网址檛 affect change.
B次元官网网址淲hen people come to us, they expect us to be able to change things,B次元官网网址� Blackwell says. B次元官网网址淎s long as (the developer) is complying with the zoning, thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing that we, as a council, can do.B次元官网网址�
From what she has heard, she adds, the developers of this property have been very good at listening to concerns throughout the process and taking nearby residentsB次元官网网址� views into account.
