Re: Home renovations fuelling Sooke’s building permit revenue boom (News, Dec. 23)
Renovation and re-development seem to be booming, and that’s a good thing.
Transition Sooke said renovations on existing housing are a way forward. So renovation development permits are OK. We want to slow or pause the new single-house tract developments until the new official community plan (OCP) and bylaws and permits can catch up to a “greener” building design and planning.
We have to keep the building sector employed during the transition. We are not advocating that Sooke “switch off” all permits, as the mayor and council think. Far from it.
As this article shows, there will be no lack of money coming in through renovations permits, and indeed, more than Sooke staff expected.
Council ought to realize that all of this renovation work can bring in money, jobs, and business opportunity and can be done with no additional expense for district infrastructures.
A new seniors centre has been treading water for years with little or no help from the District of Sooke and saying that “businesses will never be able to operate here” is not true as it seems that re-development and social capital developments are picking up the slack in the district just fine.
Chris Moss
Otter Point
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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