Re: Oak Bay council considering new town hall meeting format
Coun. Tara Ney’s comment criticizing town hall meetings as being “typically positional and argumentative” might trigger the question: Why are town halls so positional and argumentative?
Here are some possible answers:
Significant deviation/cherry picking from the Official Community Plan (OCP) when considering development applications and the granting of permits and variances, limited forums, time and opportunity for public input on issues that strongly impact our community, lack of transparency in process/decision making, no completion of the promised housing strategy and, the somewhat minimal contribution from developers to community amenities. The latter is something other municipalities take full advantage of, either incorporating amenities/floor space ratios in their approval processes or, pushing developers to provide more than very small/low cost items. I think most people in Oak Bay would be surprised to know that there are no development charges for new or redevelopment in Oak Bay; a significant revenue source the community is missing out on.
Without an official housing strategy, endorsed and supported by the citizens of Oak Bay, and strong, adhered to zoning regulations and bylaws, many will continue to be “positional and argumentative” when development impacts neighbourhoods, lives and community. With a number of high profile development projects coming, (The Quest and Oak Bay United Church redevelopment), I would encourage those involved to seek balance, intelligence and significant contributions from developers to community amenities and infrastructure when tough decisions have to be made.
Curtis Hobson
Oak Bay