A contentious townhome development being planned in Dentville has been a sour apple since day one. Where does one even one start ?
To begin with, the notice for the recent meeting was emailed to a couple of residents living in the neighbourhood with under a week’s notice, and it was asked that those long-time tax paying residents spread the word on behalf of the district.
This is unfortunate given the planning department had the email addresses of the 50+ residents who had written in in opposition of the proposal. Council had mandated the planning department as part of first reading to do more outreach with the neighbourhood, given they haven’t had time or resources in the past to put together a neighbourhood plan.
What the neighbourhood received was an open house where the developer had some half-drawn plans that showed they rescinded their request for a one- metre variance from the neighbour to the standard three, and a slight bump in the height of the garages.
Outside of that the developer still wishes to drop what presents as a cookie cutter development directly into the heart of a well-established historical neighbourhood. The four legal lots in question could potentially be subdivided to six but it didn’t seem that the planning department had really fleshed out how and what that might look like in time for the presentation. That is unfortunate because that (4-6 number) is really the deal breaker for the whole proposal.
What the neighbourhood would like, and deserve to see, is a rough design with dimensions of what could be possibly be built on those lots if they were subdivided under the current RS1 zoning, which our province has literally stuffed into every neighbourhood’s yard.
If at that point the development proved more attractive to the neighbourhood, it should proceed with the highest scrutiny in terms of form and character. Things like green walls, LEED design, and other showpiece items should be put in place to enhance the existing community, rather than detract from it with what’s currently been proposed.
We should not be selling our neighbourhoods souls out from underneath their feet to any developer that comes along and when those developments do, they should be done in such a way that truly elevates a neighbourhood rather than the alternative.
Eric Armour is a downtown business owner and a Dentville resident.
Glenn says
Good comments all but will this council listen?
Dylan says
I agree with Eric that it is a shame that our council does not take consultation seriously, rather imposing its vision of a Utopia devoid of realism or character. Case in point is not requiring enough parking in new developments, hoping that people will magically stop needing cars… Perhaps riding e-bikes to Whistler.