Coming soon to your neighbourhood! We are starting to see results of the new NDP housing policy.

Two examples of four-unit housing projects are underway on single-family lots in the 3000 block of Cadboro Bay Road in Oak Bay and the 1500 block of Ash Road in Saanich.

These projects are, in my opinion, out of place. Neither takes into account neighbouring properties and the general scale and ambience of the neighbourhood.

They lack warmth and curb appeal as their driveways and entries face away from the road and the four-unit structure towers and looms over neighbouring properties.

Would you like that next door? This new policy ensures we are all going to see much more of this inappropriate development.

It is also environmentally irresponsible. It will result in many perfectly functional homes going to landfill, as the land is now worth much more without the house.

The Green Party should be ashamed to prop up this government.

There is a way to increase density, proven the world over. No need to re-invent the wheel. The answer is semi-detached housing (duplexes).

They should face the street, provide adequate parking and be under the same height restrictions as single-family homes.

We have no shortage of good designers to ensure these homes fit their neighbourhoods.

This sort of development would makes economic sense on lots where the existing house is no longer functional, gradually increasing density while preserving neighbourhood character.

Dennis Dale

Fairwest Construction Co. Ltd.

Victoria

A house on our street in Oaklands is slated for development as “missing middle” and if it goes through as designed, it will be a three-storey sixplex, with 14 bedrooms and four on-site parking spaces, one accessible/car share.

As it falls under the current OCP, we had no idea that this was planned until the orange fencing went up. The immediate neighbours will experience a big change in privacy and loss of sunlight.

As the OCP was labelled a “living document” by councillors Stephen Hammond and Chris Coleman, I question at what point will it be revisited and whose input will be included.

City planners, developers or residents? Yearly, bi-yearly, five years? And who will listen?

Of the councillors, only Hammond and Marg Gardiner responded to my letter, neither of whom are our community liaison. I guess she’s not that interested in Oaklands.

As........

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