Re: Church housing proposal about more than making money
Patrick Skillings justifies his support of the Oak Bay United development by suggesting the Clive apartment has fit in well with the fabric of the community. This defies logic and the facts. It is nothing short of comparing apples with oranges.
The Clive has 17 units not 98; it is located on Oak Bay Avenue amongst other apartments, not surrounded by single-detached houses; it is three storeys, not four; it has one parking space/unit, not 0.64; it is only one foot higher than what was there before, not 51 feet more and higher than the ridge line on the church. The context is quite different, the two projects are not comparable.
Yes, Granite Street has always been considered a ‘transitional street’, but not in the way Mr. Skillings suggests. Granite Street has always been considered the demarcation line between higher and medium density to the north and lower density to the south – and the OCP recognizes this.
It is important not to confuse/conflate the issues. The neighbourhood is not opposed to the church providing affordable housing, but to the scale of the development, based on well-established land use practices. We are not against development – having publicly indicated we support a mixed storey building of apartments and townhouses, with 25 to 40 units.
Everyone needs to get informed, find out the facts. Everyone needs to separate the facts from the emotional appeal the church is putting forth.
Diana Butler
Oak Bay