The recent letter from Rick Lee is a good example of the impact of development and densification in Oak Bay.
But there is one very important point he missed: the buck does stop with Oak Bay. Oak Bay’s mayor and staff are quick to blame the province and, in particular, Premier Eby. But the province and Eby did not set any design or size parameters. That’s Oak Bay’s doing. Oak Bay can dictate size and design. That is completely within Oak Bay’s jurisdiction.
So the three-storey multi-unit monster, where there was once a single house and has no parking, could just as easily be two storeys with parking. Developers will whine, but let them – someone will build it if they can make money.
Oak Bay needs to step up and do its part for the preservation of these neighbourhoods. And this is not just an Oak Bay issue, but anywhere in any municipality these days.
Y.B. Douglas
Oak Bay
