Developer’s sour grapes
I’d like to respond to the letter of March 21 by Elaine and John Lichtenwald.
Suggesting that a Local Area Plan is an approval by a municipal council that an application for development will be rubber stamped is a false notion. The area plan they refer to was initiated by development speculators of which in my opinion the Lichtenwald’s find themselves involved with.
To expect a municipal council to change the official community plan for developer’s speculative goals is just exactly why official community plans are designed.
Take note future speculators, read the OCP and understand that OCPs are not frivolous pieces of paper. They are well thought out documents, taking into account often years of public, stakeholder and consultants’ time and taxpayer funding to determine what the public wants and needs now and into the future.
Developers and speculators alike must not think that the hard work of the community can be undone by sympathetic agenda driven councillors that are willing to sacrifice the years of work that have gone into developing an up-to-date OCP.
Great thanks must be given to the mayor of North Cowichan, Rob Douglas and councillors Chris Istace and Christoper Justice who stood up and defended the best interests of the community.
Bryan Senft
North Cowichan