More than 90 Langford residents are opposed to the rezoning of seven properties to create a townhouse complex and are frustrated the project went ahead without their opinions being taken into account.
They feel the addition of a 20-unit townhouse complex to their neighbourhood, which received third reading by Langford council last week following a public hearing, will negatively affect not only their way of life, but also their property values. The townhouse complex takes the place of seven single-family homes previously planned for the site.
The properties in question, part of a subdivision off Happy Valley Road west of Olympic View Golf Club, were previously rezoned from agricultural use to comprehensive development to create the Valley View subdivision of single-family homes. They were later rezoned again to allow seven additional lots.
Now the applicant B次元官网网址� Richard Irwin of Irwin Consulting, on behalf of TJBS Properties B次元官网网址� wants to consolidate those seven properties into one and create a nine-unit and an 11-unit block of townhouses.
The City of Langford had received a petition signed by 96 neighbours of the proposed townhouse complex on Wild Ridge Way, expressing opposition to the proposal. Many were at the meeting itself to speak against the project, as well.
B次元官网网址淚 bought on the assumption that the whole neighbourhood was going to be single-family,B次元官网网址� said one of those residents, Ridge Pond Drive homeowner Gerry Troesch, who bought his home in 2008. B次元官网网址淚 asked the city specifically what all of that area was going to be developed as. This isnB次元官网网址檛 the downtown core. I mean, weB次元官网网址檙e on the border of Langford and Metchosin here.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just upset because itB次元官网网址檚 not going to be within the density that we were told it was going to be when we bought here. Why wouldnB次元官网网址檛 they have zoned it that way in the first place if thatB次元官网网址檚 what they wanted it to be?B次元官网网址�
Troesch said many of the residentsB次元官网网址� concerns surround parking B次元官网网址� which they say is already terrible B次元官网网址� and additional traffic congestion due to the increased population density. Those concerns seemed to fall on deaf ears at the public hearing, he said.
B次元官网网址淚 was rather surprised about their attitude. It seemed like they had their minds made up ahead of time. It really leaves a bad taste in your mouth to just be ignored like that. I donB次元官网网址檛 think it would have made a sniff of difference if every resident in town said they didnB次元官网网址檛 want it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥ur concerns werenB次元官网网址檛 even registered.B次元官网网址�
Langford director of planning Matthew Baldwin said he thinks Irwin did a good job of explaining that more than the necessary parking spaces will be added to the development, an explanation that quelled some, but not all, of the residentsB次元官网网址� concerns at the hearing.
B次元官网网址淎ny time thereB次元官网网址檚 a change in use, there are going to be people who donB次元官网网址檛 like it,B次元官网网址� Baldwin said.
The developer is now required to do a geotechnical survey of the properties to ensure they are conducive to this type of project before it can go through the development permit stage of the process, he said.
As for Troesch and the rest of the upset neighbours, B次元官网网址淚 guess we just deal with it,B次元官网网址� he said with a sigh.
B次元官网网址淲e are just supposed to tell them if there ends up being traffic problems or whatever once itB次元官网网址檚 done, and they say theyB次元官网网址檒l look at it then. They tell us they donB次元官网网址檛 think our property values will go down, either, but weB次元官网网址檒l see.B次元官网网址�
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