I am writing with regards to the Sept.12 meeting at Saanich council with regards to the proposal for 986/990 Doumac Ave.
This should be a matter of concern for all residents of the municipality as the decision made will have an impact on your community. The process for adjudicating such proposals is extremely flawed. Input from the community, if solicited, carries little weight. Community associations are not required to consult with the community members. Recommendations made and support given by the community association, as in the case of the Cordova Bay Association for Community Affairs, only identifies where the proposal meets the objectives of the local area plans. They do not identify contradictions. This is also true with the planning department’s recommendations to council.
The proposed project for Doumac Avenue is wrong in many ways. It is inconsistent with the Local Area Plan and contradicts significant examples of prior development. The existing developments such as Sayward Hill, Matticks Farm, Fable Beach, Seabury, Cordova Village and Cordova Beach Estates have created a precedent for the type of multi- family development which has been welcomed to the Cordova Bay neighbourhood. These developments are tasteful in design, sympathetic to the surrounding neighbourhoods and have created minimal visual impact to the streetscape. These developments serve as a template for future proposals and as fine examples of why people choose to live in this community.
The developer has chosen to not listen to the community and made only minor revisions to the original proposal, with only a minor revision to the height. Overall appearance, site plan and density have not changed. The main reasons for opposition to the proposal have been ignored.
The report from the planning department has recognized that the changes are minor, but considers them a “positive effort to mitigate neighbourhood concerns” and therefore support the proposal. To clarify, the applicant reduced the overall height by 1.9 metres and made minor cosmetic modifications to the facade and a roof overhang. No attempt has been made to mitigate the concerns regarding building footprint, reduced density, number of storeys to be consistent with LAP and existing developments.
I urge all members of the public to attend the Sept. 12 meeting and voice your concerns as to how approval of this development will adversely affect all areas within the municipality.
Steve Corner
Saanich