ItB次元官网网址檚 hardly surprising that the Urban Development Institute, a group of developers with a high-minded label, has issued a B次元官网网址渞eportB次元官网网址� promoting wholesale construction in North Saanich; B次元官网网址渄evelopmentB次元官网网址� is the instituteB次元官网网址檚 middle name.
But what is surprising B次元官网网址� and has so far gone unmentioned B次元官网网址� is the fact that the report was written in response to the districtB次元官网网址檚 solicitation, and was submitted to the districtB次元官网网址檚 project team on May 5 at the districtB次元官网网址檚 invitation. Two weeks later, it still awaits councilB次元官网网址檚 attention.
But having read it myself B次元官网网址� and also seen the project teamB次元官网网址檚 truly horrific May 19 B次元官网网址淓merging ConceptsB次元官网网址� Zoom presentation B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 become graphically and painfully apparent what the district plans for our future B次元官网网址� triplexes in Deep Cove? Four storeys on McTavish? - and ever more clear where theyB次元官网网址檙e finding their inspiration.
On April 29, district planner Brian Green summarily dismissed a membersB次元官网网址� survey from the North Saanich ResidentsB次元官网网址� Association, writing B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址e only use input that is gained from engagement activities that the project team has developed B次元官网网址次元官网网址�
In contrast, district communications manager Rebecca Penz welcomed the UDI report when quoted in these pages on May 20: B次元官网网址淭he Urban Development Institute feedback will be considered as part of the B次元官网网址� engagement.B次元官网网址�
See a difference?
Truth is, developers have always been involved in this OCP review; theyB次元官网网址檝e been characterized as B次元官网网址渟takeholdersB次元官网网址� from the start. At least two companies were invited to attend a closed May 18 Zoom design workshop even as the public B次元官网网址� and all recording devices B次元官网网址� were shut out. And the project teamB次元官网网址檚 written materials are reliably skewed toward development. But the question of bias has been repeatedly raised to council and repeatedly dismissed.
So perhaps thereB次元官网网址檚 nothing left to do but remind our representatives that the citizens of North Saanich won this battle in 2007 and B次元官网网址� turning the last development-driven council out in 2016 B次元官网网址� overwhelmingly won it again. Councillors: YouB次元官网网址檙e better than this; please remember why you were elected. Citizens: Go to , review their mind-boggling plan, then step up again and save North Saanich.
Don Enright
North Saanich
