Do you live in Oak Bay?
Yes, I live in Oak Bay. First lived in Oak Bay in 1977 and raised our son on
St. Patrick St. through the 1980’s until my husband’s career took us to
Maple Bay, BC. Returned to Oak Bay in 2010.
Is a deer cull necessary?
Yes, it may be necessary to cull deer but not without a coordinated regional
approach first that involves partner municipalities and the provincial
government. Current deer management pilot involving Oak Bay has not
been evaluated for its efficacy. Operational resources appear inadequate,
there is uncertainty about use of clover traps as a humane capture method,
no detailed forecast of projected costs to taxpayers and no recent scientific
data on Oak Bay’s total deer numbers and migratory patterns. Also need
further communication and consultation with Oak Bay residents to address
confusion about current strategy.
How do you see the future of development in Oak Bay (secondary suites, multi-family dwellings)?
Through a new Official Community Plan adopted in September 2014, growth
will be moderate at .05% (or 900 new people in Oak Bay over 10 years).
Hiring of a new qualified planner this fall (the first in Oak Bay’s history)
means that CAREFUL PLANNING will be key to developing a “made in
Oak Bay” housing strategy. Will include ongoing community consultation
to consider development of housing options such as regulated secondary
suites, duplexes, townhouses and heritage conversions.
What area of the OCP should be addressed first?
A review of the current Zoning Bylaw to ensure that it is consistent with
provisions of the new OCP and enables the community to move forward on
developing a new Housing Strategy, step two of compatible planning with
Oak Bay’s changing housing needs.
What is your vision for sewage treatment in Oak Bay?
My vision is not limited to sewage treatment in Oak Bay --- because this is a
regional issue, my vision extends to partner municipalities so that we can
work together collaboratively to find cost-effective and new technologies that
focus on leading edge wastewater treatment.
What do you think is the most important issue to address in our community?
Effective implementation of the new Official Community plan, a process that
requires full time, focused leadership and previous proven experience, skills
and abilities that I will bring to the role of Mayor of Oak Bay.