Link to letter on the Times Colonist website
Time for us to fight James Bay development
For two-and-a-half years, the residents of James Bay have been saying, “No more dense high-rises in James Bay,” by way of hundreds of emails, letters and presentations.
“Family housing is what is needed, at a family-friendly price.”
For two-and-a-half years, Victoria city councillors have been pushing the progress of a luxury high-rise at the corner of Montreal, Kingston and Quebec streets, despite the learned city staff three times saying, “No, this building proposal is too dense and too massive for the zone of this residential area. It does not meet the bylaw standards.”
There is a blockade of five councillors that have questionable reasons for wanting to allow a downtown building on a residential townhouse-zoned lot.
This high-rise proposal is soon going to a public hearing. If the five councillors pass this building proposal through, then look out. No street will be safe from oversized building.
If the councillors feel that they can, without consequence, ignore the laws, the zoning bylaws, in favour of what a developer wants to gain, then the laws can and will be easily broken on your street too! This sets precedent.
Watch in the Times Colonist for the announced date of this imminent city hearing and make your voice heard; attend the hearing, call in to the hearing, send an email to the hearing file number and/or send in a video. Victoria residents are collectively feeling the loss of the democratic process with city council. The time to speak up is NOW.
—Edy Bradley, BID, Victoria