Council must re-think development refusal
I was astonished a proposal to develop the former J.H. Boyd School property was not given the necessary rezoning approval that would allow a development to proceed.
The proposal was for 56 patio and town homes the would fit well into the current Brookside and Brookside Village developments in the area. The staff report stated the major concern was access, but a very detailed professional traffic engineering study concluded the access off Grosskleg Way that would be created by the developer was more than adequate to serve the proposed development, with an emergency exit off Oak Lane, thus not impacting the residents who live on MacDonald Road.
In a time where this type of lower cost housing in the town of Lake Cowichan is necessary, I hope the developer will not simply abandon his desire to bring this, or a similar development to the community. There was close to 100 people from the community who supported the proposal in a written statement. It seems only council member Vomacka was the only person who saw the great need for such a project. The electronic public hearing process also only provided the developer three minutes to offer his rebuttal to the staff report and provide information to the council. However, council did provide a few more minutes to the developer, but not near enough time to defend his proposal. Council needs to re-think their decision on this proposal and the process for public input. This land has sat vacant far too long, and the type of lower cost housing is in demand.
Mr. Lynn B. Klein
Lake Cowichan