The JN Development Group has applied to demolish an eight-unit apartment building at the corner of Clive Drive and Oak Bay Avenue and have requested major rezoning and bylaw variances to replace it with a 19-unit building with only 17 parking spaces.
The proposed building requires a lot size of 2,000 square metres. The Clive lot is 1,116 square metres. This site would have the highest density in Oak Bay. We do have an Official Community Plan and bylaws.
Most recently, council was split 3-3 on voting to move the project to the next stage. Failure to respect the existing zoning and bylaws suggests that council has forgotten its role in enforcing these bylaws. The role of council is to protect their citizens/voters by upholding current bylaws and exercising good governance.
The OCP and bylaws are for everyone. Until democratically changed, these bylaws ensure appropriate, consistent community development to be adhered to by mayor and council.
If this redevelopment proceeds as proposed, council will be setting a precedent for further major rezoning and bylaw variances. It will become development anarchy. Other developers will demand the same relaxation of bylaws and council will have to accommodate them. Overdevelopment will then proceed in an unruly and haphazard manner.
The community must oppose the Clive/Oak Bay Avenue decision. If approved, any citizen in Oak Bay could expect an inappropriate development next to them.
Council may accommodate small variances and appropriate spot zoning. If they decide to violate the existing OCP, zoning and bylaws by approving major variances, residents will lose respect for their elected officials and Oak Bay will become a far less liveable community.
Council must turn down this proposal in its current form.
Peter and Pamela Gooch
Oak Bay