Written and verbal assurances given to residents of TriWay Manufactured Home Park regarding rezoning and redevelopment by Langford Mayor Stu Young, Langford council, the city and developer, evaporated during the now completed rezoning process. Residents’ representations were ignored, leaving no choice but to pen this open letter to Mayor Young.
We feel betrayed.
In May 2019 you wrote to TriWay Park residents stating no rezoning will happen until residents have approved a comprehensive plan for compensation. Council minutes and staff reports state … “mobile home residents and Council will approve a compensation plan for homeowners per Council’s MHP Redevelopment Policy.”
Residents are told, “But you are protected by (what the developer refers to as) a protective covenant.” Untrue. “Resident” appears nowhere in the covenant which seems to protect all except residents. The developer is now free to acquire rezoned land without the obligation to submit a comprehensive plan for approval by residents and council.
Bylaw 1885 and Covenant actually permit immediate closure of half the park without providing longevity for the remainder.
The “comprehensive plan” residents expected is simply a plan that comprehensively takes every resident’s circumstances into account – not a grab for unreasonable financial compensation.
In January 2020, the developer presented residents with the basis of a fair and acceptable plan but has withdrawn critical elements including his commitment to buy out any resident wishing to leave the park, and for the remaining downsized park to exist in perpetuity. Without guaranteed longevity it is impossible for residents to realize their home equity in the open market.
All the assurances somehow became totally empty and rezoning was granted anyway.
Ironically, Your Worship closes by praising the importance of manufactured home parks in the community as affordable housing. Why then dismantle TriWay?
You close by offering to continue serving us. Please do so. To begin with, please honour your council’s and city assurances of a comprehensive plan for compensation prior to the seemingly inevitable downsizing of the park by requiring council to set conditions on redevelopment that bind the developer to his Jan. 16, 2020 assurances to residents.
Conditions must include: a buyout for any homeowner wishing to leave; a timeline for longevity of the downsized park; and meeting with TriWay residents urgently to remedy the flawed rezoning process that cut us out.
Peter Kedge
On behalf of TriWay Park Residents Association
