DocumentsCorrespondenceNov 1, 2021Pages 32–33
Correspondence — Colby Heddon (Sept 13th Westhills Zoning Amendment - Application Z21-0020)
Resident letter urging committee to reject the proposed amendments and initiate public consultation, citing concerns about loss of greenspace and parkland dedication.
Key facts
- Author: Colby Heddon
- Requests: reject application and initiate public consultation
- Concerns: only ~10% of required 40% parkland dedicated to date; asks for strategic selection of remaining parkland to protect ecological connectivity
Correspondence — Colby Heddon (Sept 13th Westhills Zoning Amendment - Application Z21-0020)
Email details
From: Colby Heddon
Sent: September 13, 2021 1:06 PM
To: Langford Planning General Mailbox; Denise Blackwell; Mayor Young; Roger Wade; Norma Stewart; Lillian Szpak; Matt Sahlstrom; Lanny Seaton
Subject: Sept 13th Westhills Zoning Amendment - Application Z21-0020
Letter
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
I am writing to you regarding the proposed amendments to the Westhills CD3 (Comprehensive Development 3 – Westhills) zoning, which will predominantly affect current citizens living in Westhills and the remaining undeveloped lands. I encourage all members of the Planning, Zoning and Affordable Housing Committee to reject this application and to instead direct staff to initiate a public consultation process regarding the proposed changes.
While Westhills was originally touted as a new sustainable addition to our community, I feel that the current course of the master planned development has been anything but. Over the past 15 years, citizens have witnessed a dramatic transformation of previously contiguous forested lands containing wetlands and rocky outcrops into a patchwork assembly of parking lots, astroturf boulevards and isolated single family home neighbourhoods.
In its original vision, Westhills portrayed itself to be a walkable community development that would provide affordable and attainable family orientated housing. And yet as traffic congestion in Langford worsens with residents expressing concerns related to pedestrian and cyclist road safety, the applicant seeks to add vehicle based services including drive-thru banks, restaurants and “parking facilities in enclosed buildings” (parkades). This proposal also requests consideration of a new road connection between Westshore Parkway and Parkdale Road to “alleviate traffic on Alouette”. Though I am happy that this issue is being heard, unfortunately, available research suggests that increasing the road network to accommodate vehicle traffic only works to encourage more traffic and in this case would contribute to further deforestation.
In addition to these concerns, changes to the Parkland Dedication Agreement are being sought by the applicant at a time when residents and community experts are yelling out for better protection and conservation of undeveloped, forested land. Though I recognize the amount of housing that is being built in Langford and the role it plays in addressing the ongoing housing crisis, I am against the continual build out of greenfield developments as they do not support or create transit-orientated communities. Even after 15 years of build out, the details around parkland dedication in the “master planned” Westhills community remain murky at best, with non-descript map attachments and requests for Park dedications to remain negotiable as future subdivision plans advance.
I strongly urge the PZAHC to reject the proposal to include a variety of uses into their parkland dedication, including the request to include the Park and Ride Parking Lot and centre road grass medians as part of their parkland dedication. These lands do not function as public parks in their current state and should not be considered as part of the required land dedication. Moreover, as Westhills has currently only dedicated approximately 50 acres of the 200 acres required for their 40% parkland dedication, it seems reasonable to seek opportunities to ensure the remaining dedicated land requirement is strategically selected to protect remaining ecological connectivity while enhancing public access where appropriate.
As you move forward, it is critical to consider how the decisions made by you today will impact our community's long-term social, ecological and financial wellbeing and resilience. Please consider the needs of the citizens currently living in Langford and reject the application to amend the CD3 (Comprehensive Development 3 – Westhills) Zone as proposed in the September 13th Staff Report.
Lastly, I request that this email be included as a late submission letter into today's September 13th meeting package as I am unable to attend tonight’s virtual meeting.
Thank you for your time,
Colby Harder
844 Goldstream Avenue